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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24611140">Antihero</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueberryDahlias/pseuds/BlueberryDahlias'>BlueberryDahlias</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Antag-verse [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, M/M, Multi, Sequel, all the gays</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 09:13:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,773</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24611140</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueberryDahlias/pseuds/BlueberryDahlias</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Chrissy Chandler wakes up in the hospital after being shot, things have changed. Her friends are acting weird and she doesn’t know why. It’s up to her, and well... a few unexpected people to figure out why.</p><p>Go read the first book (Antagonist) first because this one won’t make sense unless you do.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Chrissy Chandler/Harper Reed, Max Cooper (Antagonist)/Ariana Rade/Quin Mairs, Opal Rose/Ariana Rade, Simon Curtis/Alex Martin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Antag-verse [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1779124</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Twisted</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chrissy is in the hospital and fighting through a terrifying dreamscape.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- hospital mention<br/>- nightmares</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>All I can hear is beeping. Then noises. As if being pulled from a vat of sludge, my mind resurfaces. </p><p>   “Will she wake up?”</p><p>   “We’re not sure,” </p><p>   I want to open my eyes, but they are too heavy and my mind is too fuzzy to focus on that, so I try my hand. I can feel it sitting in someone else’s, and they’re familiar; calluses on the fingers of someone who does frequent heavy lifting and rough work, but their touch is gentle as they rub their thumb over the back of my hand. I fight to access my memories, straining to find some way to figure out who they are. Then it all comes back. </p><p>    It’s Harper. My girlfriend. </p><p>    More memories start resurfacing at an alarming rate, racing past me as I struggle to remain conscious. I hear the beeping in the background pick up its pace and Harper’s hand slips out of my own. </p><p>   In one desperate, adrenaline fueled moment I find my voice. “H-Harp?” It’s small. It’s shaky. But it’s there. </p><p>   I feel her hand reclaim my own and I open my eyes, fighting to keep my eyelids up. I look at her. We are in a hospital room; I am lying down and she is at my bedside. </p><p>    “Oh, Harp,” I start, tears pooling in my eyes. Through my blurry vision I see the heart monitor beside the bed spike. That must be the beeping I heard. “Don’t go.” Her presence is so familiar and comforting, but I can feel myself slipping again, and I grasp at her hand like it’s an anchor. “Please don’t leave.” My eyes grow too heavy and I close them, sinking beneath the waves, her voice melting into the softly lapping water until I’m lost within my own mind. </p><p> </p><p>   A picture comes into view, somewhere from the depths of my memory. I know it by heart; it’s the first image I saw in my vision dreams. That feels like ages ago.</p><p>   <em> The crossroads of Watson Street and Novak Drive: </em> the first place Valkyrie was sighted… but this is off. Instead of just the picture, it plays out what happened. Wait, no. This is definitely <em> not </em> what happened… </p><p>    She disarmed two criminals who had robbed a bank, not getting any injuries. But this is showing me something completely wrong<em> ; </em>she fails to disarm them, and one punches her. It changes the scene to Harper’s apartment, where she throws down her mask and presses an ice pack to her black eye. “I may as well use these powers for something.”</p><p>    Her usually white, blue, and gold super suit fades to shades of gray and black, with green and purple accents. It’s now all the colors of <em> my </em> suit…? </p><p>    The next image that shows up is supposed to be me using my powers for the first time in public, and it is. But instead of using them for <em> my </em> benefit, I stop a fire. I think… Harper and I’s roles are flipped. I think <em> I’m </em> the hero in this. </p><p>     The next image comes up: a rose full of thorns. I lean down to the bush and pick a rose, which is normal. For a moment, I think it’ll stay the same, but I am quickly proved wrong. The bush erupts into thousands of thorny vines, winding around each other into a living wave, threatening to crash over me, which it does. The thorns consume me, restraining my body. I struggle, getting cut as I go, and watch as the last of the light disappears, lost in the monstrous coils. Until, in a burst of white, it’s just gone.</p><p>    This is just wrong. Is this what Hell is like?</p><p>    On all sides of me, I hear a voice:</p><p>     “Chrissy… please wake up…” it’s Harper. It’s her in the real world. She sounds like she’s crying. </p><p>     I try to pull myself out of the darkness, and in the distance, I see the hospital room, and her tear-streaked face. But a wave of blue, red, and bright green sends me back down. </p><p>     The next image appears in my view, but they’re not in order anymore. It’s a recent picture. This is the one of the necklace Harper gave me, but it isn’t wrapped in Harper’s crimson red scarf. It’s lying on the floor of the warehouse. A shoe I recognize as Simon’s crushes it.</p><p>     “<em> NO!!!” </em>I scream. That necklace is the most important thing I own. Dreamscape me looks like she got hit with a truck.</p><p>    The image fades, and the figure in a dark room appears. I know now that it’s supposed to be Harper. But this time it’s <em> my </em>silhouette. </p><p>     I emerge from the shadows, a terrifying, sadistic grin on my face. Harper, in the chair, looks scared, but still hopeful. She knows I'm in there, just like I knew she was. I love her with all my heart and I believed that I could save her if I tried. Harper has that kind of expression, despite her black eye and bloody nose.</p><p>     I crash to my knees after she talks about our first kiss on the roof. I reach up to hug her, but… </p><p>     I hear the ear-splitting bangs of the gun that put me in the hospital. Harper screams in pain. </p><p>     I run past her and knock the gun out of Simon’s hands. I pin him to the floor. “<em> Don’t. Move. </em>” I tie him up with my powers, and run to Harper.</p><p>     “It’ll be alright, Princess.” I say. “You’re going to be alright.” I pick Harper up and take her to the hospital, resulting in what must be happening right now, except I’m in a hospital bed, and Harper is terrified for me and crying.</p><p>     I don’t understand what’s going on. Why am I seeing the old images? And why aren’t they normal? Did the doctors do something…?</p><p>     Wait. <em> No </em> . I know what happened. <em> Simon </em> happened. He did this. He put something in my mind. No, <em> in those bullets </em> . They must’ve had some sort of mind warping, adrenaline-inducing toxin. Oh wait… the doctors did surgery and removed the bullets, so that can’t be right.  He knew about the images, though– he planned all this out. But how did he know about the images? The only other person who knew was Harper. But of <em> course </em>he knew. He can read minds. Wait, what if… </p><p>     <em> What if he gave me the images? </em></p><p>     I could’ve started having the images because of him. He planted them in my mind somehow. That’s why he looked so <em>knowing </em>when I met him! He knew that all this was going to happen. And he can change those images just as easily. But I have no way to prove it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Him</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Chrissy wakes up in the hospital and is greeted with an unwanted guest.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- hospital<br/>- blood mention<br/>- kidnapping</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>    When I wake up in the hospital bed, I don’t know how long I’ve been here. All I know is the pain in my back isn’t gone, just diminished in intensity. I look around without moving my head. Afternoon light floods in through the window, the beams of light showing dust in the air. There’s a lounge chair next to me and in the corner. Sitting in the one next to me, her hand in mine, is Harper, eyes red and puffy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Chrissy?” Her voice cracks a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I smile slightly. “H-Harp.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Chrissy!” She wraps me in a hug. “Thank God you’re alive.”</span>
</p><p><span>    “Well, </span><em><span>I love you</span></em><span> means you’re never ever, ever</span> <span>getting rid of me,” I say. I know Harper’s a theatre kid; she was in a production of </span><em><span>Waitress </span></em><span>in high school. </span></p><p>
  <span>    She smiles through the tears on her face. But the smile seems… I dunno, a little </span>
  <em>
    <span>off </span>
  </em>
  <span>to me. I’m not sure why.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “There’s something really important I have to tell you.” I say, clearing my throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “What is it?” She scoots her chair closer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “Look, I know it’s gonna sound </span>
  <em>
    <span>crazy</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but do you remember me telling you about the images in the dreams I have?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “Yeah. What about them?” Harper tilts her head.</span>
</p><p><span>      “I-I think Simon planted them in my mind. With his powers, he could see a glimpse of the future and project it into my mind. That’s why he was so cold with me when I met him. He was certain</span> <span>that I was supposed to be his demise, when really it was you. He </span><em><span>knew </span></em><span>me, Harper. But I can’t prove it. And I know I sound </span><em><span>ridiculous.</span></em><span>” </span></p><p>
  <span>       She smiles, her tears disappearing into nothing, “well, well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>well.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> She claps slowly. Her voice morphs into an odd voice that I kind of recognize, but can’t put my finger on. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Wonderful </span>
  </em>
  <span>deduction Christina. Or at least, it would be wonderful if you were right. You’re quite smart, but not smart </span>
  <em>
    <span>enough. </span>
  </em>
  <span>You see, you’re close, just not quite there.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “What–” I swallow painfully– “What's going on?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “Do you not recognize me? Well, what a shame,” she says. Her voice now sounds like a British man. She closes her eyes and a peaceful smile that isn’t Harper’s spreads across her lips. “Let’s just say… I’m in your </span>
  <em>
    <span>head.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Her eyes open to reveal that they’re green, and it all clicks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “Simon?!” I shout. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “Give the girl a prize~” he laughs, “It’s time that we go. We can’t have that little secret getting out, now can we?” He stands up and goes to pick me up, but I thrash around, trying to evade him… even if it hurts immensely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “No! Get away from me!” I throw glowing spheres of energy at him. They’re small because I’m weak as hell and super drained, but it’s still something. Simon dodges every single one. He’s back in his own body now; he must’ve been messing with my head to make me think I was looking at my girlfriend. Speaking of which, “Where’s Harper?” I yell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>      Simon rolls his eyes, “oh, just shut your mouth, you little brat!” A wave of calm settles over me, fighting forgotten. I try to remain angry, but it’s slipping. His powers are too strong, and I don’t have the necklace. He rips the IV out of my arm, not bothering to be gentle. A thin flow of blood runs down my arm and drips onto the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He tosses me over his shoulder and carries me out of the hospital. I try to grab onto door frames and anything I can to slow him down, but the blood loss isn’t helping my situation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “Let me go!” I shout over and over, trying to push myself away. I see a nurse, “help! Please!” But she doesn’t move. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Dammit. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Simon must’ve mind-controlled her into complacency. I look up at the bastard and try to blast him with my powers, but they don’t work. He’s planned everything out. And if I act out too much, he’ll make me complacent again. I don’t want that. I never want to feel that again. I fall further into panic as Simon throws me into the back of a van and handcuffs me to a metal bar on the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “Goodnight, Christina,” the last thing I see is his twisted smile and glowing green eyes, before he covers my nose with a rag that smells like chloroform. My head spins and my vision starts fading as I fall forward with ringing ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>      Harper had been there, by Chrissy’s bedside. She was there the whole day, and she had been every single day since Chrissy had been put in the hospital. She didn’t want to leave her, but she had to leave when visiting hours were over. Last night was no different. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      The usual doctor came in and smiled gently at Harper, “Sorry, ma’am, but visiting hours are up.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Harper wiped her tears and nodded, grabbing her backpack and giving Chrissy a kiss on her head. “I’ll be back in the morning, </span>
  <em>
    <span>mi amor</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I promise.” She left, and everything was fine when she did. </span>
</p><p><span>     The doctor entered the room and closed the door behind her. She made sure the security cameras were off, and closed all the shades. But now that Harper was gone, there was no one to see her. And she</span> <span>was not a her, but Simon. </span></p><p>
  <span>      He scowled at Chrissy, glowering. “Look at you; you’re a mess. How the bloody </span>
  <em>
    <span>hell</span>
  </em>
  <span> did she fall for you? It was so obvious that you lied to her the entire time,” he scoffed a small laugh, “but of course, Harper is just too nice and trusting. Now, let’s see how we can ruin that lovely little image</span>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He grinned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      He went in to access Chrissy’s mind. The human mind is a fickle little thing, but it can be persuaded into imaging the grandest of things. When Chrissy would wake up, she would see Harper by her bedside, when in fact, Simon was there, prepared to take her away. He wanted to know if she had figured it out yet, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He didn’t want to hold Chrissy’s hand, but he had to keep her calm when she woke up. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>     Wake up, you little shit.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He thought, sending the command into Chrissy’s mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I had the dream where Harper fell off the roof again. When I bolt up from the nightmare, I hit my head on the metal bar I’m tied to. We haven’t stopped driving yet, but we’re rounding a corner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      I look around the metal box; there are two benches and three metal bars, each on one wall, aside from the door. Beneath me is a small pool of blood that’s sliding across the floor as the car turns. I didn’t notice before, but everything smells like blood. And my nose is wet. Oh great, the chloroform gave me a bloody nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     As my legs dangle across the van, I start wondering how Simon’s powers work. Does he have to be in the same room as someone to hear their thoughts? Or can he hear me right now? I know he has a range for controlling someone, but is that the same for just reading thoughts? </span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Jackass! </span>
  </em>
  <span>I scream in my head. I half expect the van to swerve because I startled him, but nothing happens, so that must mean he has to be in the same room to hear it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The van comes to a stop and the engine turns off. I hear the door open and slam shut. The back of the van floods with light and I squint to see Simon’s shadowed form reaching for me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “How are you awake already? Ugh, you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>annoyingly</span>
  </em>
  <span> resilient.” He picks me up and uses his powers to keep me from moving. I struggle, but nothing happens. After he sees my bloody nose, he sneers with a hint of a smile. “I see the trichloromethane had an atrocious effect on you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>ever </span>
  </em>
  <span>shut up?” I bark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I could ask you the same thing.” He says wryly.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Caged</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Simon makes some demands, Chrissy is trapped, and someone rescues her.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- a cage<br/>- blood, i think??</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>    Simon cuffs me to a chair. Although I can’t move, I stare daggers at him. He smiles, “don’t look so sour, Christina. We’re going to have loads of fun!” I don’t say anything. I just stare. “Fine. Let’s just get started then, shall we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    He steps back and sits on a couch across from me. “Take a look around, Christina. Recognize anything? Or maybe has it gone cold in your funny, little head?” I shift my eyes around the room without moving my head. It’s the warehouse; the place that used to be like a second home to me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Lair stealer.” I mutter indignantly. This was my lair for four years, and now he just swooped in and decided to use it. “Did you find it all on your own?” I say condescendingly, batting my eyes a little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “It’s not like you were using it, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Divergence.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He fires back. I wince. I don’t want to be associated with that name ever again; it’s kind of cringey now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I sigh, “What do you want Simon? Just get on with it so I can go back to dying in the hospital.” I hadn’t noticed it before, but I’m lightheaded from the loss of blood. Simon never covered where he ripped that damned IV out of my arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Simple: bring back the clone, and I’ll send you on your merry way!” He clasps his hands and smiles. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I raise an eyebrow at him, “as if I’d do anything for you.”</span>
</p><p><span>     “Oh, but you </span><em><span>will, </span></em><span>Christina. Either you do it, or…” his eyes glow green, “I’ll make</span> <span>you do it. And I’m certain you don’t want me to do that.”</span></p><p>
  <span>     My eyes widen and I sigh defeatedly, “fine.” I think up a clone, and she appears in front of me. She looks horrible, but of course, this is probably how I look right about now; paler-than-normal skin, greasy hair from weeks without a shower, and dark purple bags under her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Dress her up like you, Christina. How you normally look, not like Divergence.” Simon orders. I close my eyes and do as he says. Along with making the clone look like my normal self, I fix my own hair and make it clean again. I feel a little better now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Perfect. Thank you very much.” He smiles and his eyes glow as he takes control of the clone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Now let me go.” I say calmly. Behind that calm is rage. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>want to tear him apart, but I can’t because he’ll just control me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He sighs, “I’m afraid I can’t do that, my dear; some things have… come up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Wha- </span>
  <em>
    <span>AHH!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” He snaps his fingers, sending me somewhere dark. I’m no longer tied to a chair, so I scramble forward. Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>try </span>
  </em>
  <span>to. It’s kind of hard to move when you’ve lost a shit ton of blood. I keep crawling across the room and bump into something metal. I reach up my shaking hand and feel bars. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>A cage</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>     I see a glowing blue light sitting in the corner, so I crawl over to it and pick it up. Tears jump to the corners of my eyes; it’s my necklace. Simon may have the audacity to put me in a cage, but at least he’s decent enough to give me my necklace back. I clip it on and take a deep breath. Everything’s going to be alright now. Harper will find me, I just know it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   She still hasn’t come. I have no idea how long it’s been, but the bleeding spot has scabbed over and it’s almost gone. So, what, two weeks? Probably.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “Breakfast” appears in front of me with a snap of my fingers. Now, let me guess what you’re thinking: if you can use your powers, then just use them to get out of there! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    But the thing is, Simon created some sort of thing where when I try to get out, I just appear in a different cage. As far as I’ve seen, there are ten. They’re all shaded in different colors. Mine is blue, and the others are all different. I can’t help but wonder why they’re here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Has… Has Simon trapped other people and kept them here before…? Did he kill them?! Because if he has, I have another reason to hate him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Look, I may have been a villain, and I used to capture heroes, but it was all in good fun and I always let them go. I’ve never killed anyone, and I always clean up after myself if I destroy something. I put the building that burned down back up; I couldn’t just leave all those people without homes. They used to be my neighbors, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     A scraping sound wakes me from my daze and a crack of white light floods the room. The outline of a person slips in and closes the giant door behind them. I hear their footsteps echoing in the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Chrissy?” Calls a woman’s voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “H-hello?” I ask. That voice isn’t Harper’s, but I recognize it. “Who’s there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The footsteps get faster as the woman finds me. “Chrissy! Thank goodness you’re alright! I’m going to get you out of here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>    A half an hour later, I’m sitting in Opal’s main room, with Alex next to me. Two other people I’ve never met sit on the couch across from us, with Max in the middle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Chris, these are my roommates.” Max gestures to the taller woman with golden blonde hair first. “This is Ariana-” then to the shorter boy with blue eyes- “and this is Q.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Hi,” I wave a little, giving the two a smile. I look at Ariana. “Heh… you look kinda like Harper.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Ariana tilts her head, “I can’t imagine why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Huh… weird.” I blink. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Opal brings me a mug of hot chocolate and sits on the other side of me. Her apartment looks vaguely familiar; somewhat similar to one I’ve seen several times before, but I don’t know where and when. I’ve never been here before, so I don’t know what my brain is doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “How did you guys know to find me?” I ask. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “It was quite difficult. We didn’t even realize you were missing for a while,” Opal starts, “Simon was gone, and Harper told us what he did to you. But you, or some version of you, showed up at the apartment two weeks ago.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “You looked great,” Max chimes in, “it was if you hadn’t been in the hospital for three weeks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alex tilts his head, “stuff was normal for a few days. But then Max noticed that your eyes were green instead of brown. Same green as Simon’s eyes. So the three of us left, knowing that this person was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> you. Q and Ari stayed behind to keep an eye on whoever the imposter was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Harper still doesn’t know. But we’ll get you back to her.” Ariana smiles at me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Opal nods. “We’ll get you back on your feet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I set the mug down and hug Opal. The others join us. “Thank you all, so much.” I’m on the verge of tears. I owe them everything. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Of course, Chrissy! We’re always here for a fellow gay.” Alex laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I have an idea,” Opal says, pulling back from the hug, “I’m going to tell Harper that I have a surprise for her, and to meet us at the park. The four of us and her.” She gestures to herself, Max, Alex, and me. “She won’t bring the clone. Now Ariana and Q, you said you had to be somewhere, am I correct?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Yeah.” Q grabs his jacket. “Max lost a bet, so Ari and I get to go pick out a dog!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I laugh a bit at Max’s annoyance. “Have fun, guys.” They leave, and it’s just us four again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Now, let’s get you looking perfect for your girl!” Alex laughs as he drags me into the bathroom. I stumble after him, smiling too.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. An Almost Bride</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The friends reunite Chrissy with Harper, and find Simon in the apartment.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- fighting<br/>- blood <br/>- heights<br/>- fire</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>    It took the three of them two hours to get me ready. They cleaned up my scraps, cuts, and bruises. Max dried my hair while Alex painted my nails black, how they usually are. Opal left for a while and came back with a completely new dress for me. It looks exactly like the lacy dark blue dress I wore on the day Harper and I met.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “How’d you know?” I asked, smiling brightly as I put it on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Opal just smiled, “Harper took a picture of you and her on the day you met and sent it to our group chat. So I thought the dress would be a nice sentiment. Isn’t it romantic?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I just laughed, “good job.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   So now I stand in front of Opal’s floor-length mirror, in a dress and leather jacket, as Max puts my hair up in a half ponytail. “This is giving me some </span>
  <em>
    <span>mad </span>
  </em>
  <span>nostalgia right now.” I laugh a few notes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “I bet,” Max smirks, “but hey, could I talk to you about something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “Anything. I mean, you did save my life.” I smile at them through the mirror.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “Well… Harper told me and the others that you’re Divergence.” They look down but then back up. “You’re good now though, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   I hadn’t even thought about the others knowing about that. “Yes. I didn’t like being a villain. Just look at the mess it’s caused.” I close my eyes and laugh, shaking my head, “I was an idiot and it’s probably going to cost me the only person I’ve ever loved.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Aww, don’t say that! She still loves you.” Opal smiles as Max finishes with my hair and Alex gasps in awe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Giiiirl</span>
  </em>
  <span>, you look like an almost bride!” He claps his hands excitedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I blush. “pfft, </span>
  <em>
    <span>no</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I don’t.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “If Harper wasn’t head-over-heels for you before, she certainly will be now.” Opal grins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I turn to the three of them, “thank you, guys. You have no idea how much this means to me.” They all smile at me as a </span>
  <em>
    <span>you’re welcome </span>
  </em>
  <span>gesture, and soon enough, we’re at the park, waiting for Harper to show up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I see her!” Alex says excitedly, “okay, places everyone!” The three of them stand in front of me so I can’t see her and she can’t see me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Hey guys!” I hear her say. My heart melts with her excitement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Hey.” Opal nods to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Sooooo</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” I hear the smile in Harper’s voice, “what’s my surprise?” She’s on the verge of giggling, I can just tell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “She’s right here,” Max says, and the three of them step out of the way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “H-hey, Harp.” I smile nervously, tucking my hair behind my ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Oh, Chris.” She smiles bigger than I've ever seen. “You look </span>
  <em>
    <span>gorgeous</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” She runs to me, taking my hands in hers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “So do you- but- um- y-you always do,” I stutter. She’s wearing jeans and a Pokémon t-shirt, and her hair is a mess, but she is still breathtaking nonetheless. I haven’t seen her face in over a month, so this is a huge relief to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Hate to break this up, but Harper, we need to talk to you about something.” Opal says, putting a hand on my girlfriend’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “So… the Chrissy I’ve been living with for the past two weeks is just a clone Simon forced you to create?” Harper looks up in disbelief. I nod. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>And</span>
  </em>
  <span> he kept you in a cage for two weeks?” I nod again. Her expression goes angry, “that </span>
  <em>
    <span>cabrón</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” She stands up, slamming her hands down on the picnic table. “He was basically using that… that </span>
  <em>
    <span>thing </span>
  </em>
  <span>to spy on me!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Yes.” My voice sounds like a whisper compared to her anger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I swear, </span>
  <em>
    <span>lo mataré cuando lo vuelva a ver, ese hijo de puta!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She growls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Okay, wow, she’s going into Angry Spanish Mode, someone stop her.” Alex shakes his head a little bit, his eyes wide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “A-angry Spanish Mode? What’s Angry Spanish Mode?” I whisper to Opal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Oh– I guess she’s never really been passionately angry around you before. You see, when she gets </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> angry, she rants in Spanish. Like her mother.” She explains, being careful not to mention Harper’s mother too loudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Oh boy– um– Harp?” I say a bit louder, standing up next to her. I reach up and put a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll find him, don’t worry. Just… calm down for now, Babe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She takes a deep breath and nods slowly, letting the red out of her face. “Okay… you’re- you’re right.” She sits down and runs a hand through her hair. “Sorry I went off a little there…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “It’s alright.” I squeeze her hand. The others stare at me in disbelief, “...what?”</span>
</p><p>     “How… how did you do that?” Max asks.</p><p>
  <span>     “Do what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “It usually takes us </span>
  <em>
    <span>hours </span>
  </em>
  <span>to calm her down when she’s in Angry Spanish Mode, but it took you two seconds.” Opal blinks a few times. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Oh,” I shrug, “I guess I’ve just always been good at calming people down. I don’t really know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I can’t be mad when I’m around Chrissy,” Harper smiles down at me, and butterflies fill my stomach. But the butterflies turn into bats, and dark thoughts consume me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “You should be…” I whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Chrissy–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “No, you really should. I lied to you for six months. I tricked you into believing I was a normal person at every conceivable chance I had, I–” I bite back tears, “I don’t deserve to be in your life.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “We’ll… we’ll leave you two alone.” Opal, Alex, and Max get up and go sit in the car. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Harper never stopped looking at me, she lifts up my face with her hands. “All you wanted was a second chance. And that’s what I can give you. Just forget about what happened; it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s in the past.” She kisses my forehead, “I love you, you know that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I laugh despite the tears in my eyes, “I love you too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I don’t care that you were a villain. You aren’t anymore. And actually–” she smiles thoughtfully– “It was fun saving you. I liked the chase.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I tilt my head, realizing something, “what’s the rest of the town going to think about Divergence just suddenly disappearing?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Oh. Right. Maybe… we could have a ‘final battle’ while flying over Newport. We announce that the loser has to leave town for good. You’ll have to lose, just so you don’t have to deal with being Divergence anymore.” She says.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I grin. “That’s perfect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>When we arrive back at home, the clone is sitting in the main room… </span>
  <em>
    <span>talking to someone. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I peak around the corner, staying out of view. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon</span>
  <em>
    <span>. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He’s in the apartment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I dart back around and usher my friends toward the hall closet. “Simon’s in there.” I whisper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Harper’s expression darkens and she starts to walk back, but I grab her wrist. “Harper, </span>
  <em>
    <span>wait!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>I hiss, “He’ll control you if you go in there! Here.” I take my necklace off a place it in her hand, “wear it if you’re going to face him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    She nods with silent understanding. She runs into our main room, her super suit replacing her street clothes in a burst of light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I turn to Opal, Max, and Alex, “you guys need to get out of here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “What about you and Harper?” Max asks, wide eyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “We’ll be fine; just go!” I say, practically pushing them out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “But, Chrissy–” Alex tries. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I shake my head. “Al, please, I can’t risk you three.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alex sighs, giving me a quick hug. “Be safe, Chris.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Of course– now go!” I insist. He nods, taking Opal and Max into Max’s apartment, but not before shooting me a glance of reassurement. I give him a nod back, and turn to the main room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I peer around the corner again to where I hear Harper and Simon fighting. I snap my fingers, making the clone disappear. Then I enter the room, my hands glowing with purple and green flames. That’s when I see it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Harper is bleeding in several places. Her cheek is cut, her sleeve has a patch of blood that’s spreading, her hand is stained red, and there’s blood dripping from her leg. Simon hits her over the head with the end of a knife, and she stumbles back, dropping her axe of light and holding her head in her hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The flames in my hands get bigger and I can feel icy chills as fire licks at my palms, “you think you can come into this apartment– hurt </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> girlfriend– and get away with it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Maybe I should just burn this place down too, then that way, you’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>get your precious mural back!” Simon growls. </span>
</p><p>     “Hah! I can just put the building back up, you fool.” I make my sword appear in my hand. </p><p>
  <span>     “Not if you aren’t around to do so.” He sticks out his arm as if he’s going to try to control me, but Harper grabs him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I don’t think so, little boy.” She says in a low, angry voice. Her eyes flash gold, and, for once, Simon looks genuinely afraid. “Let’s go for a flight!” Harper smiles, grabs him, and dives out of the window, immediately taking off and flying upward. I fly after them, laughing. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span> “Ha-Harper! Please! J-just put me d-down! I’m sorry!” Simon begs, clinging onto Harper’s arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Only if you promise to leave us alone for good!” She shouts over the wind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Okay! Okay, I promise! Just put me down!” He pleads. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “That’s what I thought.” Harper lands on the roof of our apartment building, setting him down. He is on his hands and knees, staring down at the ground and shaking. I think he’s crying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Now </span>
  <em>
    <span>leave,</span>
  </em>
  <span>” I hiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He nods vigorously, not daring to speak. He disappears in a flash of green light. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Harper and I look at each other from across the roof. Her face lights up and I run to her, laughing. I hold her face in my hands and kiss her. “I’m so proud of you!” I say with a really big smile on my face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “I couldn’t have done it without this.” She gestures to my necklace, “thank you, love.” She presses her forehead to mine and just holds me. This is something I’ve been longing to feel again for far too long. Weeks trapped in a coma, then a cage, but now I have her again. That’s all that matters to me. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She </span>
  </em>
  <span>is all that matters.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Missing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>We learn a little about Chrissy’s childhood, the battle happens, and Divergence is “dead”.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- fighting<br/>- swords<br/>- “death”</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    He’s gone. He can’t hurt us anymore. It’s that simple.</p><p>    So why does it still seem like he’ll pop up any moment and take me away again? I know that’s irrational, though. If he tries anything, Harper will probably break his legs. </p><p>    “Whatcha thinkin about, Stardust?” Harper asks, smiling down at me. I realize only now that I’ve just been sitting in her arms on the couch for… probably a few hours now. I started staring off into space a while ago, riddled with silent anxiety. My head is also foggy from alcohol. I want to let go for a while, but nothing is working.</p><p>    “Just… um…” I shouldn’t tell her. I don’t want her worrying like I am. “Maybe we should move to an actual house, after the battle? We’d be safe and unbothered. <em> He </em>wouldn’t be able to find us. We could live in a place where nobody will find out about our powers.”</p><p>     Harper laughs, taking a sip of rum, “You and that big brain of yours. I think it’s a splendid idea. And speaking of the battle; that’s tomorrow morning. Are you ready?”</p><p>     “Of course, but the question is–” I put on the Divergence illusions “–Are <em> you </em> ready, Miss Val?” I change back and we just laugh after a moment, only pausing to drink. I’m just glad that Divergence is going to be in the past now.</p><p>    “There's a thing I’ve been wanting to ask you,” Harper says after a little while, “why… Why did you become a villain? I mean, you have these <em> amazing </em>powers, but you decided to use them for bad?”</p><p>    <em> Here we go. </em>I say to myself. “Well… it started when I was little. As a child, I would think of the most detailed stories with dozens of characters that were each their own. Around middle school, I was diagnosed as a maledictive day dreamer. But earlier on in life, I created an imaginary friend in my head. A few years later, when my powers started developing, my characters became real, but mostly this one in particular. She burst into life, and I was the only one who could see her, I guess?”</p><p>     Harper has a small smile on her lips, “what did you name her?”</p><p>    “I don’t really remember. It was probably like… fucken’ <em> Britney  </em>or some shit.” I laugh softly, thinking of the basic-ass names I always called my stuffed animals. “I think I had a stuffed bear that I named Jessica? I’m- I’m getting off-track– anyway, that imaginary friend was my only friend for the longest time, because who wants to talk to the girl who talks to herself all the time? But, aside from that, that illusion thingy had its own personality. She was there for me all the time, but I had no idea that she was physically there, I thought she was just a figment of my imagination.</p><p>     “Around like… probably middle school, I think it was?– I started to think I was getting too old for an imaginary friend. But the illusion made it hard to give up on that.” I feel a tear sting the back of my eye as I keep going. “Starting high school, I realized that I had a crush on the illusion. I had a crush on a <em>goddamn</em> <em>illusion. </em>”</p><p>     “Chris… was that your first experience with that?” Harper asks softly, resting a hand on mine. </p><p>     “As far as I remember, yes.” I nod.</p><p>     “What did she look like?” Harper looks a bit fascinated.</p><p>     “I think… I think I gave her black hair, she was tall, and she had… huh.” I blink a few times with a realization. “She was the original Divergence. She was the inspiration for my fake appearance…”</p><p>     “So how does this all tie into you becoming bad?” Harper’s expression is confused, intrigued, and soft all at the same time. </p><p>     “I came out as gay to my friends in sophomore year, but then they spread rumors and literally everyone started making fun of me for being gay. So I um… I made the illusion disappear. I got <em> really </em>fucking depressed, and went back into to the closet for a while. I started believing that everyone in the world is horrible, and that the only way to fix it was… well, making my way to the top.”</p><p>    “This is why bullying should be a crime,” Harper says, sounding quite annoyed now.</p><p>    I laugh a little, “yeah… but hey, I have a question for you now.” </p><p>    “Anything, love.” </p><p>    “Where did you disappear for those few months before we met as the real us?” I look up at her to see her eyebrows furrowing. </p><p>    “I…” she bites her lip, a sign that she’s racking her brain for an answer. “Something took me. But I don’t remember who or what it was…” </p><p>     “You were missing for five months; how do you not remember?” I ask, my own eyebrows creasing. </p><p>     “I-I don’t know– I think whatever took me took my memories from that period of time.” She shivers a little, pulling her blanket tighter around herself.</p><p>     “Hey,” I whisper, “it’s gonna be alright, Bear.” I cup her cheeks. “Why don’t we go to bed? I mean, we do have quite the morning ahead of us.”</p><p>     “Can we watch some tv?” She sticks her lip out, giving me puppy eyes.</p><p>     I laugh softly, kissing her cheek, “of course.” I stand, offering a hand to help her up. She takes it, smiling big.</p><p>*****</p><p>    “Good morning…” I whisper. I look up at Harper as her hand strokes my hair. She looks beautiful with the beams of morning light hitting her face and making her eyes shine. Like I’ve said before, she holds the world in those eyes. I wish I had the vocabulary to impart the way she looks, but the best way I can describe it is… well, just kind of an angel. </p><p>    “Good morning, Stardust.” She kisses my temple. “How’d you sleep?” </p><p>    “Not the best, but it was okay.” I smile a little and settle myself against Harper’s chest. “You?”</p><p>     “Pretty well.” Harper sighs softly, fingers stroking my hair still.</p><p>    Despite the calmness around us, a realization hits me. “Harp, we.. we have the battle today.”</p><p>   “Mhmm.” She nods absentmindedly, but then her eyes go wide. “The battle’s today– we have to get ready!” She springs up from the bed, rushing to the closet to get dressed as I laugh. </p><p>    “Harper, calm down.” I stand up and wrap a blanket around her. “Let’s go have some breakfast first. I’m sure you’re hungry?” She nods. “I’ll go make pancakes, then.” I grab one of Harper’s sweaters and go to the kitchen. </p><p>*****</p><p>      I stand on a roof in the middle of town. Harper is about ten feet behind me where she can’t be seen. “Now?”</p><p>      “Now.” Harper nods. “I’ll see you in a minute.” She smiles before flying a significant length away.</p><p>      I crack my knuckles and put on my illusions for the last time. At least I hope it’ll be the last time. Maybe I can be Divergence for Halloween… what am I even thinking? <em> Focus, Chandler </em>.</p><p>      I start up the glowing, green fires in my hands, being careful of my gloves, although they’re fireproof. I throw fireballs at the ground, purposefully missing people, but aiming for buildings. I fly lower, feeling the intense heat of the flaming buildings, and laugh. </p><p>     It’s been a while, but I still have my flare. Citizens are running and screaming, there are buildings ablaze, and everything is chaos. Perfect.</p><p>     “Valkyrie!” I announce in a booming voice that seems to echo throughout the town. “You and I have unfinished business. If you want me to stop, then you will battle me! Unless, you’re too much of a coward to show your face~” I smile. Nothing happens for a long moment, but then Harper, in full Valkyrie attire, flies down from the sky. I try not to smile at how strong and confident she looks right now; I have to keep up appearances, after all. But she makes it hard, due to the clouds parting around her, making it seem like she’s glowing. Her eyes, even more so.</p><p>     “Divergence,” her voice is like lightning striking the sky; everyone has stopped moving and all is silent, “your reign of terror has come to an end.”</p><p>     “Ah, Valkyrie, ever presumptuous. I believe you’ll be running away with your tail between your legs within moments.” I smile as her eyes flash with fire behind them. </p><p>     “I have a proposition for you; a battle of wits and strength! The winner gets to stay here. The loser must leave this town <em> forever </em>,” she says darkly. I see she’s having fun with the theatrics today.</p><p>     “I accept.” I fly up to the blue void of sky above us, with Harper– er, Valkyrie at my heels. “So, when do we– <em> augh!” </em>I hurtle forward onto a roof as I feel her elbow slam into my back. “Take it easy, Harp.” I say under my breath as I stand up.</p><p>     “Sorry,” She whispers as her light axe appears in her hand. I lift up my crystalline sword. She tilts her head and turns her axe into a sword. </p><p>     “<em> En garde~ </em>” I smirk. She smiles slightly and shakes her head, taking a fighting stance. We circle each other, “so, who takes the first move?” I shout across the roof, still smiling.</p><p>     Her posture opens up slightly, “Be my guest.” </p><p>     I lunge forward and the fight is soon in full swing. Parries, thrusts, feints, cuts, pommels; we’ve practiced it all. We have the choreography of this fight memorized, so we wouldn’t truly get injured. </p><p>     “You know what, Princess,” Valkyrie grins through the sweat on her face, “if you leave now, you won’t get hurt!”</p><p>     “I can say the same about you,” I knock the sword out of her hand and catch it in my own, “but we can’t all get what we want, now can we, Miss Val?”</p><p>      “<em> Touché. </em>” She blinks in surprise. That move wasn’t planned, but I just had to get back at her for that remark. “I suppose you could win, now that you have both weapons, but!” She snaps her fingers, making the sword disappear and reappear in her hands, “You forget that swordfighting is my strong suit.”</p><p>     “Oh, shut up,” I roll my eyes, striking her sword with mine, “you’ve probably never held a sword in your life!” </p><p>     “Not true! We had a sword fight the first time we met,” she recalls. </p><p>     “I suppose we did, but–” I am stopped by her blade in my stomach; an illusion, of course, “<em> heh… </em>I-I…” fake blood pools in my mouth and spills over the edge of my lips, falling down my chin and onto my costume, “you… you beat me fair and square, M-Miss Val. I… I will honor our agreement.” I snap my fingers, restoring the carnage on the ground below. I take a few steps toward the edge of the roof and collapse, pretending to be unconscious, possibly even dead. </p><p>      I hear Harper’s hero voice boom throughout the city, “Citizens of Newport,” she pauses for the people to quiet down, “the treacherous villain, Divergence, has been defeated!” I hear cheering.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Dead or Alive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Opal’s suspicious, Alex has powers, and Simon was mind-controlled.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- mind control</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>    “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Treacherous</span>
  </em>
  <span>?” I ask, “a bit over the top, love.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Well, I had to be in character, Princess.” Harper winks at me. “The city believed it. They think you’re gone for good. And now you’re free.” She leans down and kisses me gently. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I sigh and wrap my arms around her neck, smiling. “I suppose I am, aren’t I?” She nods, pushing my bangs away from my forehead. “Well… whatever shall we do now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I have a few ideas…” Harper smirks, picks me up bridal style, and carries me into the main room. I giggle and hold on tight. She sets me down on the couch and kisses my forehead. “It’s movie marathon time!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Our friends had helped with some of the theatrics of our ruse. Alex made sure the whole town heard what was going on. He hid speakers around the town and hooked up wireless microphones to our costumes. Max managed the sound, making sure to turn it off during our sword fight, just in case we said something out of character. They also operated a camera that broadcasted the fight onto an electronic billboard in the town square. They’ve both been very helpful, and I appreciate that they’re trying to help me destroy the cage that was my past.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Something is… off, about Opal though. She doesn’t seem like herself this afternoon. She’s all antsy and looks like she’s about to burst. I walk over to her; I want to make sure she’s okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Hey,” I say as I sit down next to her, “you doin’ alright?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    She looks up from her phone, “hm? Oh, yes, perfectly fine.” She smiles, but it’s an empty sort of smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Were you talking to someone?” I lean over to look at her screen, but she closes her phone and shakes her head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Just playing games and stuff,” she says. I raise an eyebrow and that smile she has becomes nervous. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>What is she hiding? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>   I shake my head, “Nice try, Opal, but you can’t get past me. Cough it up; what’s going on?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Her smile disappears and her eyes fill with a knowing glint. “Well, I suppose you’ve caught me.” Her entire gait has changed; the nervousness that was there becomes the edge of a knife. She’s suddenly confident, and seems a bit angry. She snaps her fingers, making everything around us freeze. Harper, Opal, and I are the only ones able to move. But how is she able to do this? Why has time stopped?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “What the hell is going on?!” I stand up, grabbing Opal’s shirt collar. She doesn’t look afraid in the slightest. I try to start up my powers, but they don’t work. Hers must be muffling it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>God, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I should’ve guessed that she’s just as bad as Simon!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She smiles. “Oh, nothing. Just a bit of fun before your storm. Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll adore this little game!”</span>
</p><p><span>    “Wh–”</span> <span>I’m stopped when a wave of pain hits me, and I sink to the ground as ringing fills my ears. I know I’m screaming; I can feel my vocal chords constrict. But I can’t hear it. All I hear is ringing.</span></p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Where am I…? Everything’s bright white and hurts to look at. My entire body aches. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>     I see a person. Who are they? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>   “Hey!” I call out, running toward them. The person turns, and I stop in my tracks. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>    It’s Simon.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>   “What are you doing here?” I demand.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>    He smirks. But the smirk seems twisted in this floaty dream.“Like she said; having fun before your storm. Run while can– you haven’t much time.” His voice doesn’t match up with his face. A slim smirk and cold look are showing on his ever present sleek exterior, but his voice seems strained. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>    “What?” I ask, but he disappears. “Wait!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>“Chrissy!” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Calls a familiar voice. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Chrissy, please, wake up!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   The ringing has stopped; it’s much later in the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   Opal is gone. Max and Alex are looking down at me with worried expressions. The ground underneath me is soft instead of hard tile, so I guess they put me on the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “What… what happened?” I struggle to sit up. Harper sits down where my head was and lets me rest it on her lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “You passed out and then Alex noticed you weren’t wearing your necklace,” Harper says softly, “We found it on the floor and put it on you, now here we are. We think something gave you a sort of panic attack…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Do you remember anything?” Max asks worriedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I think so.. Opal froze time. She was going on about having fun, or something, but then ringing just filled my head,” I explain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Do you remember if you had a dream or not?” Harper asks, gently stroking my hair, a thing she has started doing every time I panic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “It’s foggy, but yeah. Simon was there. He said the same thing that Opal did about having fun. But that’s all I can remember.” I sigh, turning my face and body toward Harper, clinging to her and pressing my face to her stomach. There are tears in my eyes, and I don’t want our friends to see it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “So…” Harper says. I can detect the pissed off undertones of her voice. “Which one of you is going to betray us next? Which of you will reveal you’re just a villain?!” She’s practically growling at them. I sit up quickly, holding her back against the couch so she can’t jump at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Max and Alex step back, wide-eyed. Alex blinks a few times, then sighs. “Look, I wasn’t going to say anything, but…” he lifts his hand, and small columns of fire flare from his fingers. “I have powers; this and super speed. But I would </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>hurt you guys. You’re my friends!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I wouldn’t either! I don’t have powers. Heh…” Max rubs their arm nervously, looking sad. They’re the </span>
  <em>
    <span>only</span>
  </em>
  <span> one in the group without powers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I stand up and hold out my arms to give them a hug. “Don’t feel bad, hun. You don’t need to have powers to be our friend. You’re every bit as special, maybe even more!” I give Max a squeeze. “We love you, Maxie.” Harper and Alex join us. “It’s us four against the world. Ari and Q too. So six, then.” We all laugh a little. The room goes quiet as the four of us just hold each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Maybe we could convince Simon to be good again…” Alex breaks the silence after a while, sounding sad and distant. “We could turn him back. I…” he looked away as he blinked back tears, “I miss him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Aw, Al..” Max rests a hand on his shoulder. “You like him, don’t you? You have for a long time.” Alex nods, his lips trembling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I don’t just</span>
  <em>
    <span> like </span>
  </em>
  <span>him–” Alex bursts out, sounding a bit hysterical, his tears coming faster now– “I love him! He… he means everything to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Harper and I glance at each other, then I lift Alex’s face from the floor. “Hey. We’ll get him back. You can convince him to come back.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I can?” Alex whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Yes. You can. He’ll listen to you,” Harper says soothingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Okay… I’ll do it. I can do it.” Alex nods, trying on a confident expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “That’s the spirit!” I smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alex stood alone in an alley. He had stuck a note in Simon’s apartment door, saying to meet him there. He heard footsteps coming from the entrance. A boy with raven black hair walked toward Alex, his green eyes seeming to glow in the faint light leaving the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “So. You wanted to see me?” Simon’s low British voice echoed in the alleyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Yes, I–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I’ll stop you there, Alexander.” Simon held up his hand. “I already know what you want to tell me. You want to beg me to come back. You think you can convince me to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>good.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” His tone became mocking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Actually…” Alex took a few steps towards Simon. The shorter boy’s eyes widened slightly with nervousness as he was backed up against the wall of the alley. “That’s not what I was going to say at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “What are you.. d-doing?” Simon gulped nervously. He had forgotten that he could just read Alex’s thoughts. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “If you know everything,” Alex placed a hand by Simon’s head, “why couldn’t you see this coming, Birdie?” It’s a term of endearment he hadn’t been able to say in months. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to do that until this very moment. He lifted Simon’s face with gentle fingers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon’s cheeks flushed. “A-Alex.. what are you…” He couldn’t finish his sentence, as Alex’s lips were inches from his. His eyes fluttered closed as he let the boy kiss him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon had always thought of himself as straight. At least, he thought he did. There was only one woman he’d ever thought he loved, and before then, there had been none. Harper was the only one. But now… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alex was there. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Kissing</span>
  </em>
  <span> him.</span>
</p><p><span>    And… Simon </span><em><span>loved </span></em><span>the feeling. Alex’s lips on his made his knees weak, so he held onto the boy’s shoulders for support. Something changed inside of him in those moments in the alley.</span> <span>He felt as if fog was being lifted from his mind. No, he had </span><em><span>never</span></em><span> loved Harper. Not really. Someone had convinced him that he loved her, when in fact, he still cared for Alex more deeply than he ever had.</span></p><p>
  <span>    His heart was beating like a jackhammer in his chest and his legs were still shaking, despite holding onto Alex. When his lips finally parted from the other, Simon had trouble breathing. “O-oh…” His voice went up about three octaves, barely a whisper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “How’s that for convincing?” Alex asked, a small laugh escaping him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I…” Simon’s lips quivered. “I’ll come back.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Wait, really?” Alex blinked in surprise, his voice soft with excitement, “You… you mean it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Yes.” Simon looked up at him, genuine tears welling up in his eyes, “I… I think I was being mind controlled.” His voice was hushed, as if someone was listening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Simon, wha–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Like a puppet. But when you… k-kissed me… it’s like the strings were cut. I felt a release of sorts.” Simon looked and sounded frantic. He was afraid. “Oh god, Alex… I remember now…” his fingers tightened around the collar of Alex’s jacket. “We need to go.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “Okay, okay, shh…” Alex whispered, picking Simon up. “I can get us out of here quickly. Hold on tight, Birdie.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Alex used his super speed to run to Chrissy and Harper’s apartment, setting Simon down outside and taking his hand for reassurance.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Birdie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Opal is terrifying and Alex loses Chrissy at Denny’s.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- mind control</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>    Something was wrong. It seemed normal when they walked in; Harper greeted them, even tearfully hugged Simon when she was told what happened. But now everyone was acting odd. Simon and Alex were the only ones with normal body language. Alex heard a noise coming from the side room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “What was that?” He asked, tightening his grip on Simon’s hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    When no one said anything, Simon’s eyes went wide. He scooted closer to Alex. “Al,” he whispers, “Chrissy’s necklace…” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     The blue orb was lying on the floor, half covered by the carpet. Simon picked it up, putting it in Alex’s hand. “They’re being controlled.” He whispered, while still keeping a neutral expression.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Alex was about to tell Simon to put it on, when everyone snapped to attention and stared at them intensely. “Simon…” Alex’s voice wavers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Chrissy, Harper, and Max all stood up in unison, and one by one, fell to the ground. First Max, then Harper, then Chrissy. She reached out for a moment, a scream escaping her lips. Alex stretched his arms out to catch her as she fell to the carpet. “Guys?! Oh my god...” his eyes filled with tears for his friends. “Are they alive? What happened to them?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Alex, I want you to take Chrissy and get out of here. Take the necklace too. You need to protect her.” Simon said in a rush.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Alex sniffled, the tears in his eyes blurring his vision as he looked at Simon. “Wh-what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon lifted Alex’s face and grazed the boy’s cheek with his thumb. “Go,” he said softly, “get to safety. I’ll know where to find you, Alleycat.” Simon’s eyes got soft when he used his old nickname for Alex. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Opal is here. You need to run. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Simon’s voice rang out in Alex’s head. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Protect Chrissy. We’ll need her safe. I wish you could bring everyone, but Chrissy will be the most powerful defense against Opal. Now go! </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Please…  </span>
  </em>
  <span>Alex’s eyes pleaded for Simon to go with him. Simon shook his head and said again to go. “I’m sorry.” Alex picked Chrissy up and sped out into the hall, listening for a moment. He peered around the corner and watched for as long as he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Simon, my dear boy!” Opal said chipperly. She strolled in from Harper’s room, brushing broken glass off of her shoulders. She kicked Harper’s arm to the side and stepped over Max to get to Simon. She smiled. “You’re just in time for storytime!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     A snap rang out through the apartment, and Simon screamed, which made Alex angry. </span>
  <em>
    <span>How </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>dare</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> she hurt him! </span>
  </em>
  <span>He screams in his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Oh, Alex?” Opal called out. Her voice sounded power hungry and a bit hysterical, as if taking over Simon gave her a surge of power, “I know you have my little Divergence. Come out, come out, wherever you are~” A childlike giggle escaped her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Alex took one last look at Simon, who is on the ground, holding his head and ears. He looked down at the unconscious girl in his arms. Simon told him to take care of her, so that’s what he planned to do. He took the necklace out of his pocket, sliding it around her neck. It would wake her up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    But now, he needed to run. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Chrissy?” Alex whispered, “are you awake?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Chrissy sat up, her eyes looking distant. “Where… where are we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “My apartment.” He propped a pillow up behind her on the couch, “Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I don’t know,” Chrissy mumbled, “but why am I here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Opal took control of everyone else. Simon told me to get you to safety.” Alex handed her a cup of hot chocolate. “Do you want a blanket?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Please.” She nodded profusely. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    He laughed softly and draped a blanket on her shoulders. She pulled it on around herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “You said that Opal is controlling everyone?” She asked. Alex nodded. “So how are we not controlled right now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Well, you have your necklace, and I got us out fast enough for her to not get me.” He bit his lip, “I know it doesn’t sound true at all, but Chris, you gotta believe me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “No, I know you aren’t controlled. You’d be acting weird if you were.” She scratched the back of her head. “Trust me, I know the feeling.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “You do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Yeah.” She winced a little. “Simon controlled me a while back. He made me reveal to Harper that I was Divergence.” A sad laugh escaped her and tears welled up in her eyes at the memory.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Hey,” Alex rested a hand on top of hers, “it’s gonna be okay now, Chrissy. I got Simon back once, and now we need to just save him from Opal together. We can stop her.” He smiled at his friend and she nodded, tears still brimming in her eyes though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “T-together,” she repeated. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <span> “But hey, it’s getting pretty late, so you should probably get some proper sleep,” Alex insisted. She nodded and pulled the blanket over herself, curling up around a pillow. “G’night, Chris.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Night, Al,” she mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alex went to his bedroom and changed. As he fell asleep, a thought entered his head: </span>
  <em>
    <span>what if she’s actually controlled right now? What if the necklace is broken? No… she couldn’t be. I mean, that thing was made by Harper! She would’ve made sure to make it powerful enough to protect Chrissy against any attack. Everything will be fine.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Someone was in the house; Alex heard a glass break out in the kitchen. He sat up and threw the covers off. He quickly pulled on street clothes and grabbed his baseball bat. Not that he couldn’t use his powers, but he didn’t want to catch the house on fire. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    He crept down the hallway, gripping the bat tightly in both hands. He peered around the corner, and saw someone standing in his kitchen. It wasn’t not Chrissy; she was still on the couch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Alex?” Called Simon’s soft voice, “are you here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Birdie…” the word slipped out in a quiet sob. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon walked toward him, not seeing him though. He was walking to the hallway to check Alex’s room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Simon,” Alex whispered. Simon froze. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Alleycat…” his voice shook. “Are you… you?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Yes!” Alex wrapped him in a hug. “Of course it’s me!” He was still whispering, but crying too now. “But is it you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon nodded, his body still shaking. “I’m sorry that I made you go, but I had to–” he doubled over, “Alex- you- n-need to run. She’s- </span>
  <em>
    <span>augh! </span>
  </em>
  <span>She’s outside! Get out of h-here! Pl-ease, Alex!” Alex held him tight as Simon spoke, wide-eyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Shh, shh… It’s gonna be alright Birdie. I’ll come back for you, I promise.” Alex kissed the boy’s forehead quickly, and he saw Simon’s soft eyes one last time before the storyteller collapsed on the floor. “Oh god…” tears stung Alex’s eyes. He knew he couldn’t stay here because Opal would get him too. He slipped on his shoes and emergency backpack, and booked it out of his apartment. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>–</span>
  <em>
    <span> I forgot Chrissy!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alex ran back inside and saw the lock on his door was broken. Opal and Simon were inside, looking for Chrissy. A glint of blue caught Alex’s eye; she was perched on top of the cabinet in the kitchen. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span> I need to make a distraction so she can get out. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Alex pushed the door inward a little bit, and it creaked. Opal and Simon immediately turned their heads. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Oh, Christina, you’ll have to be smarter than that!” Simon stalked over, Opal at his heels. They pulled the door open, but Alex was already gone. He made an effort to make noise as he went down the steps. He heard them following him, and he smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Catch up with her; I’m right behind you. Do </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>lose her!” Opal shouted angrily. Alex listened as their pace quickened, but he was faster. He used his super speed to go back to the apartment, and they didn't notice a thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “Chris!” He whisper-yelled. “We gotta go. Let’s go out the window while they’re distracted!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   She jumped down from the cabinets, her hands glowing with power. “You’re not you.” Tears were cascading down her cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Chrissy, it’s me, I swear to you on my life,” Alex promised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Prove it.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Her voice was gruff and heartbroken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Uhm…” Alex started panicking.</span>
  <em>
    <span> I don’t know how to prove it! Oh, maybe something that only she and I know! </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I was the first person you told when you and Harper started dating.” The notion brings a smile to his face, “you were so excited–” He laughed a little– “and it made me happy to know that you would treat Harper like a princess.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The glow faded from her hands and she hugged Alex. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed.</span>
</p><p>    “Hey, it’s alright.” He stroked her hair. “But we need to get out of here, Chris.” </p><p>
  <span>    “That little skank must’ve tricked us,” came Opal’s voice from the stairwell, “she’s probably still in there!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Time to go.” Alex grabbed Chrissy’s hand and pulled her to the window. “You can fly, right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “And can you support my weight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She smirked confidently, tightening her grip on Alex’s hand as they climbed onto the windowsill, “on three!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “One,” Alex said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Two,” she prepared to spring upward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Three!” They both shouted and then jumped into the night sky. Alex squeezed his eyes shut, but when he felt the breeze pick up and send them off, he opened them again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It’s working! We’re flying! </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>     “We need a place to hide! Somewhere they won’t think to look!” He called over the wind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I know a place!” She said back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Alex?” Alex heard Chrissy ask. He sat up quickly, baseball bat in hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “What is it? Is someone here?!” His grip tightened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “No no, it’s just morning,” She laughed softly. Alex set the bat down as Chrissy kept talking. “I wanted to know if we have a plan to save them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Um… I haven’t quite worked that part out yet.” He smiled nervously, scratching the back of his neck. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alex knew that he needed a plan. Plans are difficult, though, and they take a lot of work. Alex wanted to just wing it, but that was not a good idea; Chrissy was the type of person who needs a plan to function, even if she won’t admit it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “It’s okay, we’ll figure something out.” Chrissy gave him a reassuring nod. “But why don’t we go get some food to refuel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “Denny’s?” Alex asked, a smile tugging at his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “Denny’s,” she laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    It wasn’t supposed to happen. Alex wasn’t supposed to lose her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He</span>
  </em>
  <span> wasn’t supposed to show up. Alex got away, but at what cost? Now it was just him and Simon, and they were left with practically no chance of saving their friends. She was looking for them; they knew she was. But Alex wouldn’t let her find them. He wouldn’t let them take Simon away again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The trip to Denny’s had been fine at first; Alex and Chrissy had gotten their food and sat in a booth. But…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Bright green eyes. They were right there. And they were </span>
  <em>
    <span>angry. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Alex tried to warn Chrissy, but when he turned around, she had a knife in her hand. She and Simon dragged him into the alley. Chrissy tried to push the knife to Alex’s throat, but he grabbed her arm and pushed her to the wall instead. He took the knife and chucked it across the alley. Her necklace had fallen off, so he picked it up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Simon,” Alex shouted, “you’re coming with me!” he hooked his arm through Simon’s and took off running, although the storyteller protested. It wasn’t long before they were a mile away from Denny’s, and he clipped the necklace around Simon’s neck. The shorter boy immediately looked relieved.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     And that’s where they were now. Simon was explaining the situation, and now they knew that the necklace is keeping Opal’s control at bay. If they were half a mile closer, then Simon would’ve been trying to kill Alex right then. And if he hadn’t grabbed the necklace, then this wouldn’t have been working. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I’m so sorry that you’ve had to deal with this, Alleycat.” Simon looked up at Alex, concern and compassion in those soft green eyes of his. Alex hadn’t seen that in a long time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “It’s not your fault. It never has been.” Alex pulled him into a hug, letting Simon rest his head against Alex’s chest. Simon turned his face to Alex’s sweatshirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “You’ve lost everyone. You lost me for a while, even. There used to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>eight</span>
  </em>
  <span> of us, but now it’s just you and me. I’m not sure what to do now…” Simon sounded like he was crying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “Hey,” Alex whispered, soft voice soothing, “We’ll get through this. We’ll save them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I know we </span>
  <em>
    <span>can</span>
  </em>
  <span>, it’s just…” Simon shook his head, “never mind, forget I said anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Birdie, you don’t need to hide anything. You know I’ll understand.” Alex kissed Simon’s head, stroking his hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I know. Of course I do. But I’m scared that if I say it, it won’t happen. That’s how seeing the future works; I get to know, but I’m cursed with the knowledge. It has power.” He played with the hem of Alex’s sweatshirt. “And I’d love to share it with you, but Opal will know this time. I told Chrissy over a period of five years, sending her little glimpses. But that was to help me get out of Opal’s control. It was a… now what should I call it? Um, maybe a cry for help, I guess?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “You were under her control for </span>
  <em>
    <span>five years?!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Alex’s jaw dropped. Simon nodded. “Oh… oh Simon…” Alex held him tight to his chest. Tears pricked his eyes. “I’m so sorry- I had no idea. Okay, well, I knew </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> was off, but I thought that you just didn’t care for me anymore. Like we were strangers again…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Oh no, I had a crush on you for so long. The day she started controlling me was the day I was going to tell you.” Simon laughed sadly. “And there’s something you should know about her…”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Now that I’ve seen She-ra, the Simon/Alex dynamic gives me Catradora vibes.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Not for Long</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- mind control</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>    It felt good to be in charge. Opal had always been able to control people. Ever since she was young- about five or so- she knew she could manipulate people’s minds. The surge of power it gave her every time felt amazing. And now that she had the most powerful hero in history under her control, nothing could stop her. She also had </span>
  <em>
    <span>Divergence. </span>
  </em>
  <span>With both of them, her plan was underway. She could do anything, but the power had its limits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   Controlling two powerful beings, such as Divergence and Valkyrie, could be horribly draining. She didn’t control them while they slept, which gave her time to recover. She could relax and think about her next moves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon had always been a slippery little weasel. He was constantly able to escape Opal’s control, but as she became more powerful, he lost more and more wiggle room. She was proud of herself for keeping him under wraps. But now he had that stupid necklace, and she couldn’t control him when she wasn’t close. She needed to find a loophole, but it was extremely difficult while controlling beings such as Valkyrie and Divergence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Now Alex? Oh, he would be a well deserved prize. He had been toying with Opal’s plan for months, getting away every single time. He always outfoxed her, so she was excited to get her hooks into him. That boy was too fast and too smart, but she had gotten him once. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    She intended to not let those two go this time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    It’s the middle of the night, and I sit up with a start. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Harper</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” I hiss, “</span>
  <em>
    <span>wake up!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>I gently shake her to get her up. “We need to get out of here!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Her eyes flutter open, “C-Chrissy…?” She asks, voice sounding broken. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Yes.” I take her hands in mine, my own shaking as I reach for her. “You gotta get up, love. We need to go home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I-I can’t move,” her lips quiver, “Chris– I’m scared.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “It’s gonna be okay.” I lean down and kiss her head. “I can carry you–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I wouldn’t try escaping, if I were you!” Calls a voice. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Opal.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>    My powers start up in my hand. “Oh, damn you, you bastard,” I growl, standing to guard Harper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Opal’s laugh echoes in the spacious room. “I think you’ll want to shut that smartass mouth of yours before it gets you into trouble, sweet girl. I also have information for you, but I won’t share it with you just yet. I think it’s best to string you along a little bit longer before you get to see my lovely little plans.” She snaps her fingers, and I suddenly can’t see anything. Like before, when I was shot, everything is dark and inky. But this feels different– from the darkness, it feels as if someone takes my hand. Their small fingers curl around my own. It’s like I’m being held like a little kid. It’s comforting in a weird way, but I’m not sure if I like it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “Simon,” Alex whispered, “are you awake? I wanna talk to you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   Simon stirred from his sleep, head groggy and eyes tired. The sight of Alex perked him up a little, bringing a smile that was drunk on sleep to his lips. “Good morning.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “It’s actually the middle of the night,” Alex laughed softly, “but I like the greeting.” He reached out and cupped Simon’s cheek, stroking it with his thumb. “I’ve just been laying here and trying to wrap my head around whatever it is we have together.” He looked at Simon, amber eyes shining in the moonlight coming through the windows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon tilted his head and smiled softly. He shifted closer to Alex on the shared bed of the motel. “I’m not sure what we have either, but I like it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I do too, but I want to know what it is we’re getting ourselves into.” Alex pet Simon’s hair softly, subconsciously pulling him a little closer. “I’ve wanted to be with you for the longest time.” Tears appeared in his eyes. “But I thought I was losing you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Never!” Simon cupped Alex’s face, eyes big with worry. “Oh, love, please don’t cry! You know that it was Opal’s fault.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I-I know. Of course I know that.” Alex nodded. “I didn’t know back then, though- when it hurt the most. You and I were the best of friends back in high school, and I was so scared that I lost you. It took me a long time to realize my feelings for you, and I wanted to tell you, but you started leaving.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I didn’t have a say in that.” Simon sighed softly. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that, Alleycat. But what if I made it up to you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “How?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   “I could make you breakfast tomorrow!” Simon smiled, which made Alex’s face fill with heat. Simon placed a hand up in Alex’s fluffy, brown hair, gently combing it with his fingers. “What would you like?”</span>
</p><p>    “P-pancakes?” Alex asked, voice small. Simon laughed softly, nodding.</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Max sat in their apartment, hugging their knees. They knew there was something wrong, but something in their mind was blocking off the problem. They stood, sighing. “Hey Ari?” They called, walking out into the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     A tall woman with hazel eyes that seemed almost red, turned around, giving Max a smile. “Good morning, Maxie! Did you get Q up?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Not yet, sorry.” Max messed with the handmade bracelets on their wrist. “I just wanted to ask if you’ve heard anything from Harper or the others? Nobody’s answering my texts, and I’m getting worried.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Hm…” Ariana picked up her phone. “Nope, sorry love. But don’t worry; I’m sure they’re fine.” She said after she saw Max’s features falter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Yeah… you’re probably right.” Max nodded, looking up at their roommate. “They all have powers! They can handle themselves.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>But that doesn’t stop me from worrying.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Well, hey, why don’t I go wake Q up, and you dish up the hashbrowns I made?” Ariana offered, grinning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “’course, Angel.” Max smiled back, earning a hair ruffle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Max took out some plates and evenly distributed the hashbrowns for the three of them. A knock came from the front door as Q and Ariana walked into the kitchen. The three roommates looked at each other, all not knowing who it was.    </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Ariana went to open the door, but she fell into the counter, holding her head and groaning in pain. The door swung open on its own, revealing Opal standing there with a smile. She stalked over to Ariana, the other girl’s hands leaving her head to hold onto the edge of the table, knuckles white. Ariana was breathing heavily, much to Q and Max’s concern. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Opal placed two fingers under Ariana’s chin, tilting her head to make the other look her in the eyes. “Miss me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>darling</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Max stood there, frozen. It felt so wrong, seeing Ariana being so compliant to this- this </span>
  <em>
    <span>villain</span>
  </em>
  <span>. As Q watched, wide-eyed, Max threw themself at Opal. Just as their fingers grazed her skin, they stopped, arms going limp. They turned to Q, one last coherent thought pressing its way through their leadening lips: “Run. Find Alex.” Their eyes glazed over, turning Max into nothing but a puppet. Tears pricked in Q’s eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Before Opal could turn her powers on him, Q flung himself out the open door, bolting out of the apartment and down the hall. After flying down the stairs, he emerged outside. As he ran down the street, raindrops followed his falling tears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Simon looked at Alex’s sleeping face. He was lovely and peaceful right then. Simon almost didn’t want to wake the poor boy up, but they needed to get moving. He shook Alex’s shoulder gently. “Alex, dear? We’ve gotta get up and make a plan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alex opened his eyes a little, a smile breaking out across his face. “Well hello, beautiful.” He reached up and pulled Simon’s face to his, giving him a soft kiss. “How’d you sleep?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon chuckled as he helped Alex sit up. “Quite well. And you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alex sighed dreamily as he leaned into Simon’s body, face placed in the crook of the other’s neck. “Better than I ever have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon’s face turned a bit reddish, and he smiled, wrapping an arm around Alex’s bare shoulders. Simon hadn’t noticed it before in the dark, but he saw now that Alex had freckles adorning his skin. He never knew why Opal tried to make him be in love with Harper, and even more so, now that he was holding Alex in his arms. This beautiful boy was the reason Simon was free, so he felt the need to save the others. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Being under Opal’s control for too long was very damaging, and he would know. That’s how he convinced Opal to give him one day of every month to be free of her. It felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>amazing </span>
  </em>
  <span>to him to be free for longer. He’d been under her control for far too long, and he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> going back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Alex, love, I need you to wake up a little more!” Simon grinned, jostling Alex a bit. “It’s time to get serious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Can’t ‘serious’ wait a few more minutes?” Alex looked up at the other with puppy eyes, pouty lip included.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “I wish it could, my dear.” Simon shook his head. “I’m sorry, but every moment they’re with her is a moment where she grows more powerful and they lose themselves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Right… of… of course,” Alex said softly. He started to nod, throwing the covers off reluctantly. “I’ll go get dressed, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Simon tilted his head, taking the other’s hand in his. “Are you alright?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Alex nodded. “Yeah, just… I feel bad for wanting to have </span>
  <em>
    <span>fun</span>
  </em>
  <span> while our friends are still trapped…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I know, love, but it’s alright.” Simon brought Alex’s hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly. The gesture sent warmth up into Alex’s cheeks. “What matters is that we’re starting </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and they’ll be alright.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Okay,” Alex whispered. “I’ll get dressed, then. You know how to cook, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Simon smiled a smile that Alex hadn’t seen in years, and it sent him back in time. “It’s been a while, but I’ll try my best!”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Plans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Opal’s still terrifying, Q finds the boys, and Ari is apparently Opal’s girlfriend now.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- mind control<br/>- death mention</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>   “C’mon…” Q whispered, phone shaking in his hand as he waited for an answer.</p><p>    “Hello?” A familiar voice came from the other side.</p><p>    “Alex! Hey, it’s Q,” Q said, relief pouring out if his voice.</p><p>    “You’re alive! Oh my goodness...” Alex paused for a moment. “Is anyone else with you?”</p><p>    Q bit his lip, tears pricking his eyes, “n-no… it’s just me. O-Opal got Max and Ari.” He sniffled a little, emotions daring to consume him as he thought of his roommates.</p><p>    “Oh… I’m so sorry. But hey, Simon and I are making an escape plan for them right now!” Alex sounded like he’s smiling. “I’ll text you the address of the motel.”</p><p>    “Okay. Thanks, Al.” Q smiled a little himself.</p><p>*****</p><p>    I blink my eyes open, feeling the sleep leave me. Am I free? I go to move my arm, but I can’t. Though, it’s not because of being controlled. It’s because my arms and legs are strapped down to a metal table. I look around for what I can, practically scanning the room.</p><p>    It looks like I’m in an operating room– the kind you see in tv shows. Except… there’s only one “doctor”. And she’s Opal. </p><p>    “Oh good, you’re awake!” Opal smiles, walking over to me, scalpel in hand. She looks down at it as if she didn’t realize she was holding it. She sets it down. “Don’t worry about the medical equipment; I’m not actually using it. What do you think about the theatrics though?” Her smile becomes an excited grin. “I want to use this on those three little straggler friends of yours!”</p><p>    “What are you talking about?” I croak out, dry throat making it almost impossible to speak. </p><p>    “Alexander, Simon, and Qten. They’re all in for some fun! I’m quite excited to see the light <em>drain </em>out of their eyes.” Her expression has filled with dark amusement. </p><p>    “Um… okay…?” I blink a few times. </p><p>    She turns to me. “I’m off to chat with your knight in shining armor. Tata, sweet girl!” She heads for the door, waving almost comically.</p><p>    “Oh, and by the way,” she says, pausing to turn around, “I should probably tell you that I murdered your parents a few weeks ago. Bye-bye!”</p><p>    <em>…what?</em> </p><p>*****</p><p>    Harper was alone. And it was dark. And she was <em> terrified </em>. She hated not being able to see, and hated that she didn’t have a lightsource for her powers. And she also felt like she’d been hit over the head with a bat. </p><p>    Light entered the room for a brief moment as someone walked inside. Harper scrambled for it, but found that she couldn’t. She was chained to the ground, hands bound behind her. Tears found her cheeks as her situation became all too real. </p><p>    “Hello there, little Miss Valkyrie!” Opal’s stupid chipper voice bubbled. “I do hope you enjoyed your nap?”</p><p>    “Go to hell,” Harper spat.</p><p>    “Oh honey,” Opal leaned down, grabbing Harper’s face with one tight hand, “been there, done that– it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.” She let go, practically pushing Harper to the floor.</p><p>    “You’re so damn full of it, you know that?” Harper said after a moment, voice full of hate.</p><p>    “Why, thank you! That’s what I aim for.” Harper knew Opal was smiling.</p><p>    “What did we ever do to you? What made you so angry?” Harper asked, voice starting to break.</p><p>    “Hmm, I can’t tell you that yet. It would ruin everything! But I’ll tell you what my dear, once I have Alex and Simon, I’ll tell you! Which, it won’t take long, so don’t worry about the wait.” Opal’s footsteps were an indicator that she was leaving. “I’d best get back to work. Those boys aren’t going to catch themselves!”</p><p>    The door opened and swung closed after she was gone, the fading footsteps getting cut off as the door clicked, locking itself.</p><p>*****</p><p>    Q stood at the doorstep of a motel room. He knocked softly, nerves making his hands sweaty. </p><p>    The door opened, with Alex’s face peeking around. “Q!” He grinned. Q was relieved to see a familiar face and smiled back. “Come on in, we’re just getting started.”</p><p>    “Thank you,” Q practically sobbed it as he entered the room, hugging Alex tightly. </p><p>    “Is that Q?” Simon called, rubbing his hair with a towel as he walked in. He had to have just come out of the shower. “Oh good, you’re safe.” He smiled a little. “And yourself.”</p><p>     Q was confused for a moment before remembering Simon could read minds. “Oh, um, y-yeah.” </p><p>    “Welcome to our little hideout!” Alex grinned, shutting the door behind Q. “You’re safe now, Q. I promise.”</p><p>    “Thank you, guys. This means more than you know.” Q sighed in relief, releasing the tension in his shoulders he had forgotten about. </p><p>     “No problem, now c’mon; it’s time to make a plan!” Alex grabbed Q’s hand and the two of them joined Simon in the main room. </p><p>*****</p><p>     Opal smiled at the work she’d done. Her four little puppets were lined up before her, all awaiting her commands.</p><p>     “Well then, dears, I’d say it’s time we get to work on those boys!” She grinned.</p><p>    Her puppets nodded, securing guns and knives in their pockets.</p><p>    “No, no, no! No weapons like that! We need hypodermic needles and chloroform; they hardly leave a trace.” She set out these such things on the counter in front of her. “I can’t have them injured; that will affect me!” </p><p>     “Yes ma’am.” Ariana nodded, stepping forward first to retrieve the items. Opal smiled at this, grabbing her wrist before she could reach it. She pulled Ariana to her and… kissed her. </p><p>     A fire started up inside of Max; <em> Q is going to be so pissed when he finds out what this bitch is doing to our girlfriend. </em> They knew they weren’t in control of their own actions, but there was nothing they could do about it. They wanted to stop Opal, but they couldn’t move. It was hard for them to think, even. </p><p>     Opal split off from Ariana, turning to Max and smiling a truly wicked smile. “She isn’t yours anymore, you powerless little shithead. She’s mine now, and you are too. But her…” she turned to Ariana again, “she’s a hot piece of ass.”</p><p>     A chorus of <em> ewwww </em> and <em> shut the fuck up </em>errupted from the four puppets’ minds. </p><p>    “Oh, you all shut up!” Opal fumed. “I am in charge here, and you will all listen to me!”</p><p>    The puppets bowed their heads, all saying, “yes, ma’am” at the same time.</p><p>    “That’s better.” Opal looked at Chrissy. “Now <em> you </em> .” She started shaking her head. “What am I going to do with you? You're so pathetic and broken up inside. Is it because your mommy and daddy are <em> dead? </em>Grow up! Everyone loses their parents, you just lost yours sooner than you thought you would.”</p><p>    <em> Piss off– you’re a fucking liar! </em>Chrissy’s mind screamed. </p><p>   “Such language! Calm down, kiddo.” Opal smiled. “And I assure you that I am not lying. I have pictures, wanna see?” Chrissy’s eyes went wide and tears formed in her eyes, although Opal was still in control. Opal laughed, “that’s what I thought, <em> bitch. </em>”</p><p>*****</p><p>    No. No no <em> no. </em> Please… let her be lying. P-please… She has to be! I just talked to them a month ago. But she said… she said she murdered them a few <em> weeks </em> ago. My… oh god– my brother!! James… </p><p>    If she touched my baby brother, I will kill her personally. And Maya too! I mean, she isn’t as likely, since she doesn’t live with my parents anymore. But if Opal found them, she probably found Maya too. </p><p>    But oh god, if James is hurt, or even… <em> dead </em> , I will lose my shit. He’s only eighteen– he has a whole life ahead of him! He hasn’t graduated high school, or seen New York City, or met Harper… there’s so much he hasn’t been able to do yet. <em> Please </em>let him be alive. </p><p>    <em>Please.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. All of You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The boys have to find Opal and put a stop to her bullshit.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- mind control<br/>- fire<br/>- spiders<br/>- Max technically gets deadnamed</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>    “So I’ll go in over here, and Q, you’ll go in through the left. Al, you said you’d distract her?” Simon asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Of course! I wouldn’t want you two in danger. And besides, I think she wanted control of me more than most of us. I’ll be a good distraction. And, my super speed helps my brain work faster than hers. I can actually delay her from controlling me for a short time, but only if I keep moving.” Alex explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “But don’t we need someone to distract the girls and Max?” Q asked. “I mean… they’re probably gonna be the biggest problem. Won’t they be like bodyguards?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Oh right… I can take care of that.” Simon offered, “I can try to counteract Opal’s influence. And if that doesn’t work, then I can just teleport away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “You can teleport?!” Q asked, an excited smile on his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Mhm.” Simon smiled softly, happy that someone thought his powers were cool for once. “Well anyway, we should get going, boys. The others aren’t going to save themselves!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>    Around a half hour later, their car pulled into the parking lot of a building Opal used consistently. Simon froze in the passenger seat, though. “Oh god…” he whispered, tears forming in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “What is it? What’s wrong?” Alex asked, immediately turning to his boyfriend and cupping his cheeks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I just realized that as soon as I get close enough, Opal will be able to control me.” Simon’s voice started to quiver. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “She’s probably not thinking about it right now, love.” Alex hushed him. “But just in case,” he took Chrissy’s necklace out of his pocket and cupped it in his hands. Flames coiled from between his fingers, and when he opened his hand, the necklace glowed a little brighter, an amber flame dancing within the blue orb. “There, now if she wants to control you, she’ll have to go through me too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Thank you, Alleycat.” Simon smiled softly. He leaned over and kissed Alex. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alex smiled into it. “Of course, love.” He said when they parted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Q tapped on the window and pointed at his watch from outside the car. Alex and Simon looked at each other with reassuring smiles and got out of the car.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Ready?” Alex asked in a quiet voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “As we’ll ever be…” Simon took a deep breath, squeezing Alex’s hand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Then let’s do this.” Q said, taking the first steps forward, followed by the other two boys. Q had a gun in his belt, and a knife in his pocket, but he was told not to use them on anyone other than Opal. And weapons… </span>
  <em>
    <span>damn, </span>
  </em>
  <span>they made him nervous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The three entered the building, closing the door as quietly as possible. The halls were dark, so Alex started a fire in his hand. There were two ways to go, but they didn’t want to split up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Okay um… fan out in the hallway, watch each other’s backs, </span>
  <em>
    <span>stay together</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Got it?” Alex asked. The other two went to respond when:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Stop!” Shouted a voice that sounded like Ariana.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Um- Q! Do you know any of her fears?” Simon asked quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I-I think fire? Why?” Q took a few steps backward. </span>
</p><p>     “Fears shine through Opal’s control. It’ll keep her distracted! Alex– you know what to do?” Simon put on a determined expression.</p><p>
  <span>     Alex nodded, and giant flames shot up from his hands. He set his hands on the floor, and they made a trail that morphed into a circle around her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Ariana’s eyes went wide and she started to fold into herself a little. Flashbacks of her burning books, years of written stories going up in flames flashed through her head.  “No… no no </span>
  <em>
    <span>no.</span>
  </em>
  <span>” She started to cry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Oh god, please let her go.” Q started to tear up himself. “Simon, can’t you just remove Opal’s control from her? Please, I don't want to see her in pain!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I can try, but if it doesn’t work, we might have to tie her up somewhere.” Simon put a finger to his temple and closed his eyes. He entered Ariana’s mind with ease in her fragile state. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He was whisked away into Ariana’s memories. He almost lost balance as the scene shifted from the hallway to a backyard, a bonfire of notebooks and broken dreams clogging his lungs with smoke. He swayed again as the scene shifted into Ariana, Q, and Max’s apartment, encapsulated in flames.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Opal appeared in a lick of flame, smiling twistedly. “Look what we have here! Pretty Boy seems to think he can get past me! You think you can just waltz into </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> girl’s mind and I wouldn’t notice?” She laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Get lost, bitch!” Simon clenched his fist, a metal chain whip solidifying between his fingers. He slashed at her, hitting her directly in the stomach. She just laughed, </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Smoke pouring from where she was hit, filling the room. Simon coughed, the air in his lungs replaced with smoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He sank to his knees, coughing as he hit the cold ground. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cold?</span>
  </em>
  <span> He felt a hand on his back, looking up to see Alex, looking concerned down at him. Simon was back in the warehouse. He was okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Ariana?” Simon croaked, his lungs still heavy from the smoke within her mind. “You’re safe. She’s gone.” Simon stood, legs shaking. “You can get rid of the fire now Alex.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Alex did what he was told. Q, who had been frozen in shock at the sight of his girlfriend, suddenly burst into action. He ran to Ariana, curling into her arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He hugged her with tears in his eyes. “Ari.. oh babe, I’m so sorry.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Ariana hugged him back, smiling softly and petting his curls. “It’s alright. I’m just glad you guys are here.” She looked up from Q to Simon and Alex. “Thank you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “No problem, now come on; let’s go save the rest of them!” Alex grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Here, Ari, take this.” Q handed his girlfriend his pocket knife. She nodded, prepared to go now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Okay… so, I don’t have a map, but I think I know where to find her.” Simon bite his lip, “this way.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     The four of them made their way through the building, checking around corners, and freezing every once in a while when even the smallest noise was made. They came across jail cells. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Tons</span>
  </em>
  <span> of jails cells everywhere. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Gross…” Ariana shivered. She hated small, confined spaces. She gasped suddenly. “Guys look!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “What?” Alex turned and saw what Ariana was pointing at. “Oh…” he took a few caution steps forward. “Max…? Are you okay over there?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Max’s head turned suddenly. They smiled a smile that wasn’t theirs. “Hello there, Alexander.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Ariana, Q. Fear.” Alex hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Spiders, heights, or the dark, take your pick.” Q whispered back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Spiders…” Simon stepped forward. He put a hand to his temple, closing his eyes. Spiders, small at first, started creeping from the cracks in the walls. The spiders that emerged started getting gradually bigger, focusing in on Max. They started crawling up Max’s legs. Max tried to shake them off, but bigger ones took each small one's place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Max started to shake, backtracking into a corner, the spiders from the walls crawled onto their torso. spindly legs stepping across their cheeks. Unnaturally large fangs snapping before their eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Simon. Do the thing.” Ariana nodded to him, eyes determined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon frowned with silent understanding, entering Max’s mind just how he did with Ariana.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     In a blink, he was standing in a classroom, planets hanging from the ceiling, posters on photosynthesis and elements plastered across the walls. Simon heard pleas of</span>
  <em>
    <span> “Please no!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>and </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Stop!”</span>
  </em>
  <span>  coming from behind him. He turned around to see a small child pressed into the corner of the room, her dark brown hair held back with butterfly clips. </span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>Max</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Two older boys stood in front of her. One reached towards her, a giant tarantula was crawling over and into the back of his hand. “Look, Kenzie,” Simon didn’t like that this boy was using Max’s deadname. “it’s your little friend spider!” the other boy laughed as the first brought the spider up close to Max’s face. She squealed and turned her head away, there being nowhere else to run. The scene was whooshed away, and this time Simon was ready for it. He turned back around, whip already solid in his hand, the two pronged end wrapping around Opal's wrist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Not bad. But don’t think you’ll get away this easy with Chrissy and Harper. The other two don’t even have a </span>
  <em>
    <span>hint</span>
  </em>
  <span> of the power these girls do. Like I’d let you take that from me.” Opal sneered. Simon flicked his wrist, having heard enough. The whip ripped Opals hand from her arm. She started to fade, her edges getting blurry. The blurry edges started moving with intention, crawling over one another. They engulfed her. She melted into the ground in a wave of spiders. They crawled over Simon, in his mouth, over his eyes, until everything was dark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon opened his eyes. He was laying on the ground, four worried silhouettes watching over him. He sat up, only to be almost knocked over again. Max had rushed forward to hug him, squeezing him tightly and saying thank you with shaking vocal chords.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Soon, Max was happily reunited with their significant others, and their group had grown once more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Opal was outnumbered now, but like she said, Harper and Chrissy are very powerful and could simply stare at them to kill them. Then again, Alex and Simon had powers too. Granted, theirs weren’t as powerful, but it was still </span>
  <em>
    <span>something. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>    Speaking of, the five of them were stopped at another crossroad. “Which way now?” Alex said softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Um… I think… I think left?” Simon tilted his head. “Yeah. Left.” He hooked an arm through Alex’s, starting to get nervous. He was terrified that he was leading the others to their deaths, but this is the only way to stop Opal</span>
  <em>
    <span>. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Everyone have weapons or something to protect themself with?” Alex asked, just in case they were about to run into a fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “I don’t.” Max shook their head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Hm… I think I have an extra pocket knife somewhere… ah!” Simon pulled a small knife out of his back pocket. “There you are Maxie.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Thanks.” Max smiled, opening the knife and adjusting it to their grip. “Alright, let’s charge in!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The other four cheered quietly, preparing their weapons. They all gave each other hugs, just in case they wouldn’t make it through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    They pushed the door open and charged into the grand hall, stopping when they heard the door slam shut behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Well, well, well! Let me get a good look at what we have here!” Opal’s voice echoed. “Wonderful of you all to show up just in time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I’m shaking inside. It hurts me to see my friends looking terrified for their lives. I feel so sick, knowing there’s nothing I can do. Harper and I stand here, completely helpless on what to do. We’re supposed to guard Opal right now, but holy shit, I just want to stab her. I have my green, crystalline sword in my hand, but I can’t use it, which pisses me off. </span>
</p><p><span> What am I supposed to do? How can I help? Well… I guess I can’t. I could try</span> <span>to resist her? That’ll be extremely difficult, but I’ll certainly try.</span></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Unexpected</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The time has come for Opal to go down.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- blood<br/>- mind control</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    “Opal, your reign of terror is over. Let our friends go.” Alex shouted. </p><p>    “Well, how very brave of you.” Opal smiled. “The little kitty wants to play.” She stands up from her velvet throne and saunters toward the group. She snaps her fingers, “Christina. Harper.” The two girls, in full alter ego costumes, stood behind her, sword and axe raised.</p><p>    “We aren’t scared of you,” Ariana growled.</p><p>    “Then why are you backing away? Don’t you love me, darling?” Opal tilted her head, giving Ariana puppy eyes. </p><p>     “Hell no! You’re a bitch who manipulated me our entire relationship. And besides, I’m in a new one now.” Ariana joined hands with Q and Max.</p><p>    “Bullshit. You’re mine.” Opal snapped again, and Ariana screamed. </p><p>     “Ari!” Max and Q kneeled next to her to catch her. </p><p>     Ariana looked up, eyes no longer hazel. They were the startling deep blue that Opal had. Without warning, Ariana pulled her pocket knife out of her jacket, and Chrissy transformed it into a sword. The other four had backed away from her. </p><p>    “Ari, please!” Max begged. “Don’t let her control you! Fight back!”</p><p>    “Control me? Why, I’m free as a bird! You were the ones controlling me.” Ariana scowled. She strolled over to Opal, taking her arm. “I never loved either of you.” </p><p>    “No. <em>No. </em>I refuse to believe it.” Q gripped the gun in his hand. “This isn’t you, Ari. She’s–”</p><p>    “Ugh, Opal, they’re annoying me. Can’t you just take them all over?” Ariana interrupted.</p><p>    Opal smiled. “Anything for you.” She snapped her fingers, leading to a cacophony of screams from the group. However, Simon was the only one left standing, eyes wide and hands shaking.</p><p>    “Let them go.” Simon growled. “Do you hear me? Give me my friends!”</p><p>    “Your friends…? You mean the ones you betrayed time and time again? The ones that most certainly hate you?” Opal smiled and crossed her legs on her velvet throne.</p><p>     “That’s not tr-true!” Simon tightened his grip on his sword. “They understand that you were controlling me.” </p><p>    “That doesn’t give you an excuse for almost killing me!” Chrissy yelled.</p><p>    “Or trying to tear my relationships apart!” Harper put in.</p><p>    “Or playing with my heart for years.” Alex grumbled.</p><p>    “I-I never meant to hurt any of you! You’re all so important to me; I promise that I would never ever hurt you on purpose!” Simon swore. </p><p>    “Oh Simon, you’re so naïve.” Opal walked around him, tracing a hand over his shoulder. “Hand over the necklace.”</p><p>    “No!” Simon shouted, spinning around to her. He raised his sword to her face. “You have no power over me. Not anymore.” He kept taking steps toward her, and she kept backing up. </p><p>     “Now, Simon, that’s enough!” She said sternly. But Simon didn’t stop.</p><p>     “I’ve had enough of your bullshit. I’ve had enough of lies.” Simon’s sword was right at Opal’s throat. “You let them go, or… o-or I’ll…” </p><p>     “You’ll <em>what?</em>” Opal hissed. “Kill me? <em>Ha! </em>That will kill them too. And don’t you want your precious little Alex safe and sound?”</p><p>     “You’re lying.” Simon wanted to scream it, but he was trying so hard to keep himself under control.</p><p>     “Hmm… tell you what; I’ll set him free, in exchange for you.” Opal smiled, knowing he would take the offer.</p><p>     Simon heard Alex’s thoughts– everyone’s thoughts, actually– screaming for him to not do it. Simon shook his head, everything in his mind swirling around him. It was all too fast. It was all too much. He realized he was holding his breath, so he gasped for air, and the blur of thoughts disappeared.</p><p>     “Fine.” Simon said in a low voice, knowing he’d regret his decision. “But you let him go first. Let me say goodbye to him, and then I’ll give you the necklace.”</p><p>     “Wonderful!” Opal smiled. He clapped her hands twice, and Alex dropped to the floor, still conscious, but in a lot of pain.</p><p>     “Al! Oh, Al…” Simon rushed over to him, taking his lover’s face in his hands. “Are you okay? Y-you’re alright?”</p><p>     “Y-yeah…” Alex reached up, holding Simon’s hand. “Why would you do this? You’re not gonna make it… you know she’ll hurt you.” </p><p>     “I know.” Simon whispered, tears swelling up in his eyes. “But I couldn’t let her get to you too. Now you need to go, Alleycat. You need to run. Don’t trust anyone. Not even me.” </p><p>     Alex nodded slowly. “Goodbye, Birdie.” He kissed Simon for what he hoped wouldn’t be the last time, and fled down the hall of the building.</p><p>     “Right then, Simon dear. The necklace.” Opal smirked. </p><p>     “Fine. A deal’s a deal, I guess.” Simon reached up shakily and uncliped it. He placed it in Opal’s hand. </p><p>     “Good boy.” Opal smiled, standing still for a moment. Then she threw the necklace on the ground, shattering it into thousands of pieces. </p><p>     “<em>NO!!!!</em>” Simon screamed. He heard his friends shouting in their minds. “That wasn’t part of the goddamn deal!!”</p><p>     “You’re absolutely right. But do you <em>really</em> think that matters to me?” Opal laughed to herself. “You see, what you do now is no longer up to you. I’ve let you go a few times, but this time, you’re <em>never </em>getting away.” She snapped her fingers for what felt like the millionth time that day. Simon felt the familiar stiffness of Opal’s control. </p><p>     Unlike the others, his eyes didn’t change. They all now had deep blue eyes that looked like the ocean after a storm. Like a whirlpool that would suck you in if you get too close. But Simon’s own powers kept him from his physical attributes changing. That’s what kept the others so unaware of his problem for so long.</p><p>     Opal’s eyes flared with a surge of power, and she began to laugh. It wasn’t a typical supervillain laugh. No, this was childish. She was always filled with childish glee whenever she took control of someone. It made her flash back to her childhood, which was when she used her powers the most. She shook her head, snapping back to reality. “Simon! Go get Alex. I have to watch these brats, so it’s your job to bring him here.”</p><p>     Simon nodded, “Yes ma’am. I’ll–”</p><p>     “That’s enough!” A voice shouted.</p><p>     Opal was stunned by the echo of the voice. “Who is that? Show yourself, coward!”</p><p>     Alexander Martin stood in front of Opal’s throne, hands on his hips. “Like I said, your reign of terror is <em>over.” </em>He set fire to the throne. </p><p>     “How <em>dare </em>you!” Opal screamed in rage. “You put that out this instant!”</p><p>     “No can do, honey.” Alex smiled, body language as sassy as ever. “See, I only take orders from myself, not some little bitch who is hiding her real identity from everyone.”</p><p>     Opal blinked a few times. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about.”</p><p>     “Hm, what a shame. Guess I’ll have to refresh your memory.” Alex pointed at Chrissy, the end of his finger glowing with fire that was not orange, but blue. “Throw your sword at her!”</p><p>     Chrissy shook her head, mind clearing. Whatever Alex had done, it set her free. She raised her sword and aimed it for Opal’s head.</p><p>     Opal realized what was about to happen, but time was moving too fast for her to keep up. She was even more pissed when she realized she let go of that villain that could control time. She had an idea though. </p><p>     As the sword flung through the air, Opal took control of Alex’s arm that was controlling the fire, and sent a giant burst of it at Simon. The sword hit her before the fire got to Simon, but the damage was done. The others were all set free, and Alex rushed forward to Simon. </p><p>     Simon wasn’t on fire, because the fire itself was magic and it only gave the after effect of being on fire. His entire body was covered in second and third degree burns. The group stood around him, giving him space to breath, but still close enough to block Opal from him.</p><p>*****</p><p>    What have I done? Opal is… my sword is sticking out of her chest. If it was just slightly further over, it would’ve hit her heart. She’s still breathing somehow. I walk over to her. “It may be possible to heal you, but I hope you’ve learned your lesson.”</p><p>     “L-lesson?” Opal smiles. “There was no lesson. I just wanted to do as much damage as possible so… so my sister would finally see me.”</p><p>     “Your sister? Who’s your sister?” I ask, kneeling down as her voice begins to get quieter.</p><p>     “You.” Opal whispers. </p><p>     “<em>What…?</em>” My eyes widen. To my surprise and horror, what look like illusions fade from her body. I don’t believe this… she’s… she’s actually my sister. Oh god… I probably just murdered my <em>sister.</em> “I’m so sorry…” I look at the others behind me for a moment. “Call an ambulance!”</p><p>     “Don’t hold it against yourself, dear.” Maya’s smile is accompanied by tears. “We all knew that my powers would get the best of me at some point in time.”</p><p>     I sniff, starting to cry myself. I take her hand. “I-I… you know I’d never want to hurt you. But you… you did some horrible things, Maya.”</p><p>     “I know. But now you get to be free, sister.” Maya closes her eyes. “I’ll be with Mom and Dad from now on. We’ll watch over you. Maybe one day… you’ll be able to forgive me, but for now? I need some rest.” She looks at me one last time with her deep brown eyes.</p><p>     I press my forehead to hers, lips trembling and tears cascading down my cheeks. “No… Maya… stay with me. <em>Please.</em> The ambulance will be here any minute.” I whisper. </p><p>     Sure enough, sirens play outside the building. EMTs run in with a stretcher. I change out of my Divergence costume before they can notice. They take Maya away, and I want to go too, but I’m too scared. </p><p>     Alex tells the EMTs about Simon, and they take him too. Alex goes with them, promising us that he’ll keep an eye on my sister.</p><p>     “Chris…” I hear Harper whisper, resting a hand on my shoulder. “We need to go home, love.” I nod slowly, not saying anything. </p><p>     I turn to Harper, barely seeing her through the tears in my eyes. She hugs me, lifting me up to carry me out to the car. I hold on tight, crying into her dark blue cape. I can’t get the image of Maya’s hopeless eyes out of my head. I don’t think that’ll ever go away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The happy ending Chrissy has always deserved</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trigger warning:<br/>- brief mention of mental illnesses</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>   Somehow, they were able to help Maya survive the stab wound in her chest. But they knew she needed much more than medical attention. They sent her to a mental hospital where she would have a therapist and be taken care of. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The therapist diagnosed her with schizophrenia, maladaptive daydreaming, Dissociative Identity Disorder, etc… There’s so many things that had an effect on her, and I’m angry that that’s the case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I’ve been visiting her, and she seems to be getting better. She feels horrible about the shit she caused, but that doesn’t make up for all of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Everything has been chaos in the year I’ve been dating Harper. That’s okay, though; we’re all making it through together. Max is the same peppy, chipper, and optimistic person they’ve always been and is very happy to have peace with their boyfriend and girlfriend. Simon is recuperating in the hospital with Alex by his side every single day. Harper found out that Ari is her cousin, and they have become such good friends. And me? Well… Harper took me to New York to see a Broadway show. The show is over now, and we’re exploring the city. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I gasp, “Harp, look! Times Square!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    She smiles, grabbing my hand, “let’s go see it then!” We run into the square, scarves flailing and hats falling. The snow has started to fall, and the night sky is dark and perfect, but missing stars. The snowflakes make up for it, though. Oh, and Harper… she has the brightest smile on her face and snowflakes in her hair. She’s stunning, and I love her more than anything in the entire world.</span>
</p><p>     “Look at the billboards!” She points up at the brightly colored advertisements. I look up and see a million different ads, ranging from toothpaste to the Lion King. When I look down at Harper again, to my surprise, she isn’t standing where she was before.</p><p>
  <span>    I turn around and see Harper down on one knee. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “H-Harper!?” My voice shakes and tears appear in my eyes. With a bright smile on her lips and a palm-sized box in her hand, Harper looks up at me with the most tender eyes I’ve ever seen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Chris, I love you more than anything. And despite all that stuff that’s happened recently, that hasn’t changed. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and have a family with you one day. So,” she laughs a little, sniffling from her own tears, “will you, Christina Rose Chandler, marry me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     And for the first time in many days, I cry from happiness instead of worry. I nod, slowly at first, but then vigorously, “yes. Yes!” My hands shake as Harper slides the ring on my finger. She stands up and kisses me. I hear the crowd around us cheer and clap, but I don’t listen. I just melt into my sweet hero’s arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*****</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    This is it. This is the day. Harper and I are about to get </span>
  <em>
    <span>married</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It took a long year of planning, but we’re finally here. </span>
  <em>
    <span>We made it. </span>
  </em>
  <span>We actually did it. Everything we’ve gone through has been worth it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “You look amazing, Chris.” Alex smiles brightly. He and Max helped me pick out my dress, and now I’m standing here in front of the mirror with Al doing my hair and makeup. He looks down at my shaking hands and wraps them in his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “Hey,” he squeezes my hands, “I may not have </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> necklace, but,” he lifts up a necklace that looks similar to my old necklace, but instead of an orb, it’s a flat, circular gem. It’s the same bright blue, and it still glows just a bit. “Harper and I spent forever trying to perfect it. This one is more powerful than the other one. It will protect you from literally any attack.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Thank you, Al.” I hug him tightly. He laughs and pulls back to clip the necklace on me. “I’ll make sure not to get this one destroyed.” We laugh together. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    There’s a knock on the door, so I open it. “Hey Chrissy, the ceremony starts in two minutes. Better get out there!” Max says, “oh, and by the way, you look amazing.” They smile at me. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I smile back. “Thanks, Maxie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “No problem, now go!” Max giggles, pushing me forward and handing me a handmade bouquet of purple roses, gold ribbon, and lace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Oh, this is lovely.” The sentiment makes me tear up a bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Don’t start crying on us just yet, Chris; you haven’t even seen Harper yet!” Max says as they walk me to the ceremony hall. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>      “I have a quick, maybe depressing, question to ask?” I say softly. Max stops and looks up at me with a face that says </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh no. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Who’s… who’s walking me down the aisle, since my parents are dead?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Max smiles, “You can come out now James!” They call. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     To my surprise, my little brother walks in from behind a plant, “Happy to see me, sis?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I cover my mouth with my hands, trying to prevent myself from crying. “Oh my god, oh my </span>
  <em>
    <span>god; </span>
  </em>
  <span>you’re alive!!” I run over and hug him tightly. “I thought you died too!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He laughs softly, “no, I’m here, Tina.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Ehh, how about we </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>call me that? Mom and Dad used to…” I look at the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Oh, right, sorry. Um, what do your friends call you?” He asks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Chrissy. Or just Chris.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     “Alright then, Chris.” His ever present mischievous grin spreads across his lips, “Time to get you hitched!” The music starts up, as if on cue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The door opens up and Q walks down the aisle in front of us with Ariana. Q throws flower petals, grinning and almost skipping along in his suit and flower crown. Ari holds a pillow with the rings tied to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Arm-in-arm, my little brother and I walk down the altar. I see Harper standing next to Alex; he’s performing our ceremony. But Harper, though; she’s absolutely gorgeous. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    She’s wearing a tuxedo, and her hair is pulled up in a ponytail, curled at the end, but with her side-swooping bangs down and free. Her tie is purple and the flower on her lapel is gold, which matches my bouquet. This is the most beautiful I’ve absolutely ever seen her. I mean, of course, I've </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> thought her beautiful, but this time, love and happiness is just radiating off of her. Her face is practically glowing, and I see tiny, happy tears in her eyes. Her smile is larger than life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Simon stands to her left, smiling at me too. I used to hate him because he was a little shit, but when he got out of the hospital, I finally started talking to him. I understand now that he was being controlled back then, and now he’s probably my closest friend (other than Alex, of course. He’s my bestie!).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    James and I reach the steps and do the whole bit with </span>
  <em>
    <span>who gives this woman away? </span>
  </em>
  <span>and all that jazz. Soon enough, I’m standing next to Harper at the altar, hand in hand after Max takes my bouquet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Blah blah blah, Alex spewing bullshit and filler- okay </span>
  <em>
    <span>now </span>
  </em>
  <span>we get to the important part. He turns to Harper. “You may now read your vows.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Harper smiles and pulls a piece of paper out of her suit jacket. She looks up at me for a second, eyes soft, then she looks back at the paper. “You’ve made my life so amazing, Chrissy. I used to go from day to day, thinking that all I would ever do is fight villains. But you came along and changed how I perceive just about everything. I swear that for the rest of my life, I will take care of you and love you and be by your side no matter what. Even if other people try to stand in the way, I will be there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   Alex looks at me, “your turn, Chrissy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   I nod, pulling out my own paper. “Harper, I never knew what real happiness was until I met you. I didn’t expect to fall for you the way I did, but I couldn’t help it. You’ve made me a better person. You freed me from being a villain, and that is something I can’t hope to pay back. But I do hope that loving you will be enough. You’re my hero. You’re my Valkyrie. And I swear that I will follow you into the brightest and darkest of times.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    “If that’s all, may I proceed?” Alex asks. We both nod. With a laugh, Alex continues, “Well then, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you wife &amp; wife. You may kiss your bride!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Harper jumps forward and presses her lips to mine, wrapping her arms around me and picking me up a little. When the kiss ends, she lifts me up more and spins me around in the air, my dress billowing around me. And I just laugh, listening to our friends cheer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   This is all I’ve ever wanted; a happy end. Holy </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit- </span>
  </em>
  <span>I got so lucky! Huh… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   I guess the villain can get the girl in the end.</span>
</p>
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